My Life, My Kingdom, My War
by Lord of the Storm
Summary: When Queen Moon dies her Lord Chancellor and chief adviser Toffee attempts to seize Star in an effort to orchestrate a coup and take control of the kingdom. Upon her escape she runs into a young merchant named Marco Diaz who agrees to help her find safety. Will the combined will of these two be enough to save Mewni? Rated M for depictions of violence torture and other mature themes
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, this is going to be my first attempt at a full Star Vs. story. It will be completely AU, non-magic and non-monster, and the characters will be slightly aged up. Marco and Star will each be about 17 or so. The M rating was for the rather heavy levels of violence I'm predicting and some (possible) mature scenes in the future. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and thank you in advance. There's a lot of quality STVOE fanfiction out there and it means a lot to me if you take the time to give my humble tale a once over.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: For whom the bell tolls**

A warm spring morning greeted the kingdom of Mewni, sunlight and birdsong rousing the kingdom's sleeping inhabitants from their dreams, compelling them to confront the tasks and chores of the day. When she was a younger girl, Queen Moon Butterfly would have likely taken the opportunity to rise early before her lessons and take a stroll through the castle's famous rose gardens, enjoying a carefree moment before her duties as a princess compelled her to remain indoors for most of the day. Now, it was all she could do to sit up in bed and enjoy at least a little bit of sunlight, even as she had to endure yet another lecture from her Lord Chancellor, Earl Toffee Septarian.

In her younger years, Moon had taken such daily meetings with her entire privy council in a comfortable conference room situated behind the main throne room and audience chamber of the castle. There she had dealt with the myriad issues affecting her kingdom, laws, domestic policy, relations with the other kingdoms, and the competing interests of her councilors with a grace and effectiveness that had brought years of uninterrupted peace and prosperity to the land and had earned her the love of her people. When her illness had first made itself known, she had continued on in much the same manner. Over the years though her strength left her and her responsibilities had increasingly been farmed out as she retreated from public life so as not to worry the populace over the state of their monarch.

The council sessions had first moved from their normal chambers to the royal apartments, then to the queen's own chambers, and now she could not even attend them. Toffee presided over the meetings now and dealt with the daily flow of supplicants seeking the crown's assistance in various matters. Once a day he would come to her bedroom and present a series of documents for her review and approval along with giving an oral report on the happenings in the kingdom. Moon admittedly often paid scant attention to these, half from exhaustion and half out of boredom. Nothing he said was ever something she didn't either already know or would find out in stack of paperwork now sitting beside her. She had instead learned to look at the Earl without really seeing him, nodding here and there as if in rapt attention while her mind wandered onto other things, like memories of her youth or her beloved River. Oh, how she missed him. His comforting presence and jovial nature would be beyond helpful in these times.

As Toffee paused momentarily, shuffling papers around to prepare the next bit of business, Moon took a moment to look him over. He'd dressed in his usual finery, a black and silver doublet embroidered with his sigil, a lizard's claw with a ruby ring on the middle finger. He was tall and fairly muscular for his middling age with thick black hair, no beard, and green, piercing eyes. He was an accomplished swordsman, one of the wealthiest men in Mewni, and politically ambitious, a dangerous combination if ever there was one. Moon had brought him onto her council specifically to keep an eye on him lest he cause any mischief from his ancestral seat of Septarsis, and she was willing to admit he was a more than capable administrator and advisor. But while he had always maintained the proper level of decorum with her, she hadn't failed to notice how his language and suggestions sometimes walked just up to the line of insubordinate. Before her illness she'd been able to deal with him effectively to the point where he'd been no threat, now though….

Moon was brought out of her thoughts by Toffee coughing into his hand, as if knowing she hadn't been paying any attention to him. "And now, with your majesty's permission, if I might discuss a rather sensitive issue?"

If he was going to make it a point to bring it up specifically it might as well be worth giving her full attention to Moon figured. "You may proceed Lord Chancellor."

Toffee paused for a moment, glancing over at Manfred, Moon's personal attendant and near constant companion these days. "Perhaps… if we might speak alone your majesty?"

Moon looked up sharply at that, regaining some of her old fire. "Manfred has been my loyal attendant for years Lord Chancellor and anything you have to say to me can be said in front of him. Am I making myself clear?"

The man looked as if he was ready to retort but seemed to think better of it, settling on a simple "yes your majesty" instead. "Now, back to the matter at hand. I really feel we must have a proper discussion about the succession, it is imperative that the kingdom have a smooth transition when the day comes and I feel…."

Moon cut him off in a rage "We have been over this and my answer has remained unchanged! My daughter is perfectly capable of inheriting the throne _without_ a regent. How many more times must I indulge this meaningless tribble?"

"With respect your majesty, the princess is only 17, still in her studies, and by all accounts lacks the maturity necessary to take up the crown."

"Are you suggesting I'm dying anytime soon my lord?"

Toffee gathered himself for a moment, he needed to be cautious here. "Your majesty…you have been unwell for some time now. It is my duty to ensure this kingdom's future and I simply feel…"

"YOU ARE NOT THE RULER OF THIS KINGDOM MY LORD AND IF YOU SUGGEST ONE MORE TIME THAT YOUR DUTY IS ANYTHING OTHER THAN SERVING THE CROWN, I SWEAR I'LL…..." Moon's diatribe was cut off in a fit of harsh coughs. Toffee merely stood silently; one eyebrow cocked as if this proved his point. After a couple of minutes Moon recovered her breath and threw a glare at her minister.

"I wish to be alone; you may leave my presence Lord Chancellor."

"Your majesty if I may…."

"I said out damn you!"

Toffee's face contorted itself into a harsh frown but he determined that this wasn't the time to push the issue any further. He gave a short bow to his bedridden queen, "as you wish your majesty," he said curtly before turning around and storming out of the room.

Moon collapsed backwards into her bed, out of breath and completely exhausted. Manfred rushed to her side, a glass and pitcher of fresh water with rose petals soaking in it in hand. He poured a glass and offered it to Moon, who gladly accepted and drank deeply. After a moment the queen regained her composure and turned to her servant. "So, what do you think Manfred? Have your sources managed to confirm anything?"

Manfred's passive servant demeanor rapidly morphed into a serious and calculating expression. "I'm afraid so your majesty. My sources in the castle and around the kingdom all seem to corroborate the same story, the Lord Chancellor is definitely planning a coup. If he cannot convince you to appoint him as regent, then he will certainly try and usurp power some other way."

Moon's frame seemed to grow smaller at that news. She was afraid to ask further but time was of the essence. "And the castle guard?"

"Most of them are either his men or have been bought off by him your majesty. I'm afraid you have few allies left here in the castle."

Moon sighed deeply. She wanted so badly to believe it wasn't true, but Manfred had rarely been wrong these past 30 years. He was an exceptional spymaster and had operated by her side with near perfect cover. The nobility rarely noticed servants and tended not to mind their tongues when they were around, and it was only natural for the queen to keep a personal attendant nearby in most cases. In rare moments of private conversation, no one would think twice if he was say, outside the door, or walked off into another room ostensibly to take care of other tasks, in reality listening in on conversations. He had recruited a vast network of informants among the servants of the nobility and among the peasantry and guards, not just in Butterfly Castle or the capital city of Sperana but all over the kingdom. His information had been instrumental in stopping plots against her life and throne. And now, she was calling on him to save her kingdom one final time.

"It appears you are the only one I can trust then Manfred. When the time comes, you will need to take care of my daughter."

Manfred hesitated for a moment before replying. "With respect your majesty, loathe as I am to agree with the Lord Chancellor, you are increasingly unwell. Perhaps, for her own safety, it might be better to send the princess away from the capital?"

Moon instantly shot down the idea. "Absolutely not. If we send her away now, Toffee will know that we're onto him, and I doubt it would be long after that that my daughter would meet with some _unfortunate accident_ on the road. No, better to let him continue uselessly lobbying me to name him regent and when the time is right, you will whisk her to safety right out from under his nose. That is my final decision on the matter Manfred."

To his credit he tried one more time "Your majesty I know you appear set on this course but please…."

"I said final!" Moon collapsed into another fit of coughs and Manfred dutifully poured her another glass of water. Moon could feel her strength rapidly slipping away, thoughts of betrayal and of her daughter seemingly taking too much of a toll on her rapidly failing body. "I need rest Manfred, please leave me for a while and tell the other servants I do not wish to be disturbed. We'll speak again later."

Manfred made a sweeping and respectful bow "Of course your majesty. I am always at your service."

As Manfred left the room Moon felt herself slowly slipping into unconsciousness. As she welcomed the deep embrace of sleep her thoughts turned to her daughter. _Oh, my beloved shining Star. I wish I could have given you more time before placing the terrible burden of the crown and kingdom on your shoulders. I know that you have the strength and spirit to carry it though. You are my daughter after all._ Smiling softly at the image of the confident and capable queen her daughter would one day become, Moon finally allowed dreams to claim her.

* * *

Star Butterfly raced up the steps of the tower, long golden hair and purple dress billowing behind her as she dodged beleaguered servants, pink, heart-shaped birthmarks on her cheeks red with exertion. She couldn't believe she was late for her lessons, again! Breathing heavily, salvation finally seemed at hand when she spied the top of the staircase and the wooden door that lay just beyond it. Bursting through the heavy oak in an undignified heap, Star was immediately confronted by the none too pleased face of her tutor. Bald with a long white beard and wearing the, in Star's opinion anyway, ugliest saffron colored robe possible, he stood with his arms crossed and impatiently tapping his foot. "Princess Star you are over an hour late! I swear young lady if you weren't the princess of Mewni I would have quit this job ages ago. What could have possibly kept you this time?"

Star started rubbing one arm while looking down sheepishly, suddenly finding the floor to be the most interesting thing in the world. "I'm sorry professor Glossaryck," she started. "It's just that the knights were out in the practice field today and I really wanted to join them but then mom's whole _a princess does not engage in swordplay_ lecture came up so I decided to just stay and watch and then before I knew it…." She trailed off seeing Glossaryck hold one hand out, the other pinching the bridge of his nose while his eyes were scrunched shut as if in deep pain.

"Star, Star, I wonder sometimes if you truly value the lessons I'm trying so desperately to instill in you. You are the future queen of Mewni and someday this…" he gestured to a large tapestry of the kingdom hung on the wall behind him, "will be your responsibility." Star had to admit the tapestry was an exquisite work of art. It depicted just about everything in the kingdom, with intricate writing naming every river, town and village, forest, and mountain. Mewni seemed to incorporate nearly every type of geography imaginable. It had deep forests, vast plains cut through with rivers, a large mountain range to the north, and the sunset sea that occupied the western coastline. Some towns were independent charters, others were ruled by one lord or another. Some noble families ruled over several towns and had grand castles or estates which were also marked on the map. And there, deep in the Southeast corner of the map, was Sperana, capital of Mewni and home of Butterfly Castle. The city Star had lived in her entire life and, sigh, the only city she had ever seen. It seemed so unfair! The world seemed like such a vast an interesting place, why couldn't she explore it?! Go to distant lands and gaze at the different constellations, wander through the forests and ford the rivers of the kingdom she was destined to rule someday. She was 17, surely, she couldn't be confined here forever?

Glossaryck was droning on about the history of one of her ancestors or some such when Star spoke up. "Professor Glossaryck, will I ever be able to visit the rest of Mewni?"

The old teacher turned around at the question. "Why of course princess. After the coronation, it is customary for the new queen to go on a tour of the land. And of course, there will be diplomatic meetings to attend, disputes to settle between the nobles, and in time I imagine a number of young lords will invite you to visit their estates to being courting you and…"

Star cut him off right there, waving her hands wildly in front of her with a blush creeping up onto her face. "No! Nuh-uh! Not what I meant!"

Glossaryck looked perplexed. "Well then princess I'm not quite sure what you mean by your question."

Star sighed deeply. "I just… I've been cooped up here my entire life professor. I feel like I'm missing so much of what the world has to offer, there's so much to see and do out there that doesn't have to do with stuffy nobles or stupid courtroom etiquette or any of that!"

Glossaryck crossed his arms over his chest and adopted a stern look. "It may be true that were you not born a princess you might have more liberty to travel and engage in such frivolous things but you have a responsibility to Mewni and in exchange you have grown up in a magnificent castle with all your needs attended to instead of some serving girl in a thatch roof tavern in some backwater. You could at least show a little gratitude for the life you've been given young lady!"

Star looked down crestfallen, sniffling and clearly holding back tears. "I know all that and everything I just *sniffle* I feel like I haven't even been given the chance to live, like I'm just some lifeless doll that people expect to act a certain way. Besides, how can I be expected to run a kingdom when I barely know anything about its people?"

Seeing the look of sadness on the young girl's face, Glossaryck's sternness slowly faded into sympathy. He walked over to his young pupil and tenderly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Star I've been teaching you since you were old enough to talk and I'm proud to say that despite your… proclivity… for being late, you are a bright young woman and I believe some day you will make an excellent queen."

Star looked up at that, drying her eyes with her palm and smiling in spite of herself. "You really mean that professor?"

"I do. And I think you have a point; I suppose some exposure to how the common people live would be a useful lesson for a future queen. Tell you what, tomorrow we'll get a small escort and go down into the city. We'll have a lesson on how Mewni's economy works and how the majority of its urban population makes a living, sound good?"

Star's face broke into a wide grin and she jumped up cheering, fist in the air. Even if it meant sitting through a lecture about economics, she was going to get out of the castle tomorrow! Yes! The impromptu celebration was interrupted however by Glossaryck coughing into his hand to get her attention. "Yes, yes, all very well and good. Now, let us continue our lesson. Star, would you care to remind me where I left off in my lecture on Mewman royal history?"

"Uhhhh…..."

"You weren't paying any attention to my lecture at all were you?"

"I really am sorry professor; I'll start paying attention right now!"

* * *

Lord Chancellor Toffee threw open the heavy set of doors to his private quarters, slamming them shut, anger plain on his face. The nerve of that half-dead, insolent queen! How dare she refuse him! Not that it mattered much in the end, he mused. One way or another he'd have his prize. Pouring himself a glass of strong brandy he pulled on a rope-bell summoning a servant. Moments later a rather buxom redhead came rushing in, performing a deep curtsey when she reached Toffee. "You summoned me Lord Chancellor? How may I be of assistance?"

Toffee looked her over, _rather shapely for a peasant_ he thought to himself. "Find Rasticore and send him to me at once."

The maid curtseyed again. "Yes m'lord, right away." She made to scurry off when Toffee stopped her.

"Servant girl."

She turned around with a bit of trepidation "Ye…Yes m'lord?"

Toffee gave her an almost predatory look. "You will return here later this evening, there are other… tasks, with which I may require your assistance."

The poor girl shook like a leaf. She had heard tales from some of the other female servants in the castle what kinds of "tasks" the Lord Chancellor usually asked for help with. Better to give into his occasional demands than to risk flogging or being thrown out of the castle to end up as some serving wench or a whore instead, most had said. The young girl was inclined to agree with them. "Yes m'lord, I shall return here this evening."

"Good." Toffee turned his back on her, making a halfhearted shooing motion. "Now get out."

The girl wisely chose to make haste. Shortly after, the door to Toffee's quarters opened again, only this time a tall, dark-skinned man wearing chainmail and a surcoat with Toffee's sigil on it entered. He had dark black hair tied in braids at the end and a glittering amethyst where his left eye had once been. A gift from his lord after the completing the rather difficult assignment that had cost him the eye in the first place. He carried a wicked looking longsword on his back and four glittering daggers on his belt. He approached Toffee and once a few feet from him, gracefully dropped to one knee. "You summoned me my Lord?"

Toffee turned around and considered the man kneeling before him. Rasticore had a reputation not just as a skilled fighter, certainly a requirement to be captain of the guard for the second most powerful person in Mewni, but as an utterly ruthless and merciless one, something Toffee appreciated. He was also 100% loyal to his lord and would undertake any task without hesitation, something Toffee appreciated even more. "Indeed, I did." Toffee motioned for Rasticore to rise and poured him a glass of brandy. He turned around and faced the large window in his office, a gorgeous view of the sprawling capital set before him.

Toffee was silent for a moment, but Rasticore wisely stood there and sipped on the excellent alcohol he'd been provided. He'd learned long ago never to speak to his lord unless addressed first, and had seen many a man beaten for forgetting their place in that regard. "The queen will not last much longer, perhaps a night, two at the most." He paused again to take a deep drink. "I've ensured that I will be the first to know when it happens. When it does, bells throughout the castle will begin tolling. When you hear them, you are to order the castle sealed, no one in or out. You will then take five of your best men and secure the princess and bring her here to me. I will explain the situation and the need for a… smooth…. succession. The girl is naïve and will surely be distraught over the loss of her mother. It should be simple enough to convince her that the burden of ruling should go to someone more experienced in that realm. Mewni will at last have a ruler worthy of the title! Do you understand?"

Rasticore nodded, "Yes my lord." He hesitated for a moment and took a deep drink. "And if the princess should resist or if something should happen to her?"

Toffee grew a reptilian grin. "Then it will have appeared that despite the best efforts of the castle guard an assassin was able to infiltrate the castle and murder Princess Star on the eve of Queen Moon's death in an attempt to destabilize Mewni. In these trying times, the realm will need dedicated and firm leadership. Though it will be a burden, I shall of course gladly take up the throne."

Rasticore mimicked his master's smile. "A most ingenious plan my lord."

Toffee chuckled to himself and dismissed Rasticore with a nod. "Go now my faithful captain, you have much to prepare before nightfall." As Rasticore bowed and left, another man also slipped silently out of the Lord Chancellor's chambers, down a secret hallway concealed by false paneling. If that was Toffee's plan, Manfred thought to himself, then he also had much to prepare and not much time to do it. _I will protect you princess Star. I swore to your mother that I would and I have never broken a vow._

* * *

Night fell on Mewni, the twin moons overhead nestled gracefully in a blanket of starlight, bringing most of its inhabitants into the comforting embrace of sleep. For one group of servants however, sleep was the furthest thing from their minds as they rushed to and fro from the queen's bedchambers. Moon had awoken from her afternoon rest seemingly with more energy than she'd had in some time and had even managed to eat a full dinner. Around midnight however she awoke with her now usual hacking coughs, only these were deeper and more persistent than previous bouts. Despite everything the servants could think of the Queen simply couldn't seem to get enough air. When the royal physician arrived, he had taken a few quick looks and had listened to the queen's labored breathing before shaking his head sadly. She would not last the night. Shortly after midnight, as the queen's breathing became shallower and it appeared to be the end, one servant quietly slipped away unnoticed. Racing to the Lord Chancellor's room he knocked timidly and was greeted by the sight of the lord's face staring down at him. "It's done then?" He asked.

"Not when I left my lord, but surely within a few minutes."

Toffee nodded, well pleased. "Tell them to go and ring the bells then and inform the rest of the staff they are to wear black tomorrow. Mewni shall mourn its beloved queen."

"Yes, my lord, as you command." As the man scampered off, Toffee couldn't help but feel a rush of satisfaction. Rasticore would soon be in position and the full power of the realm would soon be his. _All according to plan_ he chuckled as he returned to his room seeing the chambermaid from earlier looking at him frightened from his bed. Disrobing, Toffee tut-tutted at her. "Come now my dear, let's see a smile on that pretty face. After all, this is a rather joyous occasion… for me anyway." Her whines, moans, and occasional protests could be heard clearly in the hallway, not that there was anyone to listen to them. And even if there had been, who would dare to challenge him now?

Elsewhere in the castle, Star was snoring gently in her sleep when a loud bang echoed throughout the room, starling her awake. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Star was shocked to see Manfred of all people in her bed chambers, and even more confused when he proceeded to bar the door. "Manfred what on Mewni do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea what time it is?! I swear sometimes I think that just because you're my mother's personal servant that you can just barge in here whenever you want. This is exactly like that time on my 13th birthday when you…" Star was cut off from her rant by Manfred clamping a hand over her mouth and holding up a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. When he removed his hand, Star was more than prepared to resume her diatribe but the look in Manfred's eyes caught her off guard. He had always looked at her with the passive and sometimes judging eyes of a servant. The look he was giving her now was deadly serious.

"Princess I know this might seem strange but you must believe me when I say we don't have much time. I swore to your mother I would keep you safe. Now here," he handed her a knapsack and a pair of well-made if simple riding clothes. "You must change quickly and then we'll leave." He turned around to give her some privacy but Star continued to sit in her bed, overloaded by all the sudden commotion.

"Manfred please I don't understand, why do I need to change? What's going on? Did mother having something to do with this?"

Manfred made to answer when suddenly the bells started tolling, first in the castle, then out across the city. Star again looked around in confusion for the umpteenth time that night before catching Manfred's eyes which had gone from fervent and rushed to heartbroken. With a mournful sigh he fell to one knee in front of Star, eyes cast down to the floor. Star gasped at this, one hand covering her mouth while the other grasped at her chest. _No…no that can't be it. It's not true! It's not true!_ But Star's worst fear was confirmed when the servant before her dutifully intoned "The queen is dead. Long live the queen, long live Queen Star of Mewni." Star started to collapse backwards, tears streaking down her face before Manfred caught her and hoisted her to her feet. "I'm sorry my queen, truly I am. Your mother was a courageous and brave woman. She loved you dearly and fought for your safety and happiness for as long as she was able. Her last command to me was that I protect you from harm and I intend to do that, so please, I beg you, change so that we may go."

To his relief, Star finally acquiesced, sliding off her nightgown and slipping into the tights, shirt, and forest green cloak that Manfred had provided her. Just as they were preparing to leave, a jiggling came from the door as if someone was trying to open it from the other side. When they found the door barred, a loud banging ensued and a voice could be heard from the other side. "Open up! In the name of the Lord Chancellor I have been sent to secure the princess!" When no response was forthcoming, he tried again. "I said open this door damn you before we break it down! I come with the authority of Lord Toffee himself!"

Lord Toffee? Star mused to herself. What could he possibly want with her? As the banging on the door continued, Manfred again signaled for quiet and brought Star to a section of wall in her room. Puzzled, Star watched as he pressed upon a random brick and the entire section of wall swung inward to reveal a narrow walkway leading to a spiral staircase. Star practically squealed in excitement whispering "A secret passage! Manfred, how did you know this was here?!" Rather than answer, Manfred quickly shoved her inside and shut the false wall behind them, throwing open a narrow peephole that to his frustration Star also apparently intended on looking through. Just as they situated themselves, the door to Star's room burst open and six men who Star didn't recognize save for the Toffee's sigil on their clothing came charging in, swords drawn. After a brief look around, one of the men snapped a smart salute to another.

"She's not here Captain Rasticore sir."

The one called Rasticore practically growled in annoyance. "I can see that you idiot! She must be somewhere. Tear this room apart if you must, tear the whole damn castle apart and take as many men as you need. The Lord Chancellor wants the princess now!" The five men jumped to obey, four of them ransacking her room while the other ran back into the hallway presumably to enlist additional men in the search. With the thickness of the wall and all the commotion in Star's room, no one heard Manfred remove a lantern from his own pack and quickly light the candle within. Closing the peephole, he gestured for Star to follow him down the spiral staircase.

After a few minutes of walking, Star couldn't take it anymore. Looking to Manfred she stopped walking and crossed her arms. "So now will you tell me what's going on? How did you know about this passage? Why are those men looking for me? What happened to my mother?!" The last one came out with a choked sob, the adrenaline of escape giving way to a wave of fresh grief.

Manfred looked at Star, a mixture of sadness, sympathy, and resignation played haphazardly across his face. Sighing, he finally answered her. "I'll tell you more once were away from the castle but the long and short of it is you are in mortal danger my prin…my queen. You were aware of your mother's condition, yes?" Star nodded in response. "Good. Once it became clear that the illness was going to take your mother eventually, Lord Toffee began insisting that rather than inherit the throne outright, you should be placed under a regency, specifically his. Your mother resisted him as best she could, but as she grew weaker, he consolidated more power in the castle and the capital. By now, practically the entire palace guard and most of the servants are either his men or have been bought or blackmailed by him. Only myself, your tutor Glossaryck, and a few others remained loyal to your mother. Now that she's gone, Toffee needs you to officially declare him regent. I wasn't able to devise his plans after that but at some point, you would likely meet with some unfortunate accident or be married off to the heir of one of his allies and he would for all intents and purposes be king. That's why it's so important to get you to safety. Without you, Toffee can still claim to be Lord Chancellor, and he will still be powerful and very dangerous, but as the legitimate heir you represent the true authority in Mewni and can oppose him."

Manfred saw Star about to interject with another question when he held up a hand indicating he wasn't done yet. "As for why I know about all this, I may have appeared to be just your mother's servant, but I am actually her spymaster, tasked with identifying threats to the realm and specifically the royal family. This castle is centuries old and riddled with secret passages. They're how I move about unnoticed and how I know most of Toffee's plans." The two had reached the bottom of the staircase and were now along a straight passageway. Manfred gestured to the right-hand wall. "On the other side of this is the main corridor of the castle. We'll follow it to the end, there's a hidden door that will lead us outside, from there we'll make our way to the stables, grab horses, and go."

"You still haven't told me where you're taking me." Star pointed out.

"Your Aunt Eclipsa's castle in the Musty Mountains of course."

Star gasped. "That's on the other end of Mewni! Why go all the way there? We could ride to the nearest town, rally the local lord and get rid of Toffee now!"

Manfred waved the idea off. "Too risky, I have no idea which lords might be loyal to him now, especially the ones close to the capital. The Musty Mountains are far yes but they're also near impregnable and Eclipsa is your last remaining relative. She'll recognize you unlike some of the other nobles and more importantly she'll be able to keep you safe while we work out a plan to reclaim your throne.

Star's heart fell again at hearing that, _your throne_. Another reminder that her mother was dead, thoughts of how little time they'd been able to spend together as her duties as queen and her illness took up so much of her life, and now Star wasn't even able to say a proper goodbye. She wished she had her father in that moment but he was gone too. She was all alone in the world now. _No!_ She pushed the thoughts and feelings of loneliness down. She wasn't alone. Manfred had just said he was taking her to her aunt, and she had always loved seeing Eclipsa when she had come on visits, the woman a wonderful mix of proper and mischievous that a young Star had idolized. And she had Manfred too. Granted, she wasn't exactly sure what their relationship was but at the moment he represented a connection to her mother and the comfort of the life she had known before the universe decided tonight was an excellent opportunity to upend her entire damn life!

Without realizing it, her body having been on autopilot, Star realized they were at the stables, Manfred having set their bags down and gone inside to fetch horses. Star on a whim decided to put her hood up to hide her recognizable blond hair and heart-shaped cheek marks. Manfred had said most of the castle guard belonged to Toffee now, she couldn't just assume everyone was friendly anymore. The thought sent a tingle of dread, and another of excitement, up her spine. Manfred soon returned, handing the reins of an absolutely gorgeous looking chestnut mare to Star while keeping ones for a still respectable looking grey gelding for himself. As they mounted Manfred leaned over to her, "we're going to have to bluff our way out of this one, no doubt they'll be on the lookout for you. Let me do the talking and try and stay hidden. I'm going to say you're a noble woman so just try and act nonchalant alright?" Star nodded in affirmation and the two were soon trotting off to the main gate.

As they approached the exit to the castle, Star could see two guards with spears standing by the gate, a pair of torches adorning either side allowing them to see into the night. To her dismay, she could also see the heavy beam laid across the doors baring their escape, as well as the crossbowmen standing watch atop the wall keeping an eye out for threats. She sent us a silent prayer that whatever plan Manfred had cooked up would work. As they drew nearer, one of the guards held up a hand for them to stop, which they did. The guard approached Manfred, seeming more annoyed than anything else and spoke with a more guttural accent common among the people. "And where exactly would you two be off this time o'night?"

As planned, Manfred took the lead. "I am Manfred, head servant of Butterfly Castle, escorting the Lady Sabrina of Algrensan to her residence in the city. I request that you open the gate and let us pass." The guard looked at Star suspiciously, trying to bring his torch closer to see under her hood before Manfred wheeled his horse into the man's path. "I would advise against that my good man; the lady is quite private and prefers not to have her face seen."

The man continued to scowl. "My order come from Rasticore, and his orders come from th' Lord Chancellor. And he says no one goes through that gate till morning. So why should I let you buggers through yeah?"

Manfred tried one more time. "You hear the bells?" The guard nodded. "They mean the queen's dead. The lady needs to return to her residence in order to find a proper mourning outfit, you know how the nobles can be about their fashion."

The guard muttered in agreement although still certainly loud enough for Star to hear, "bunch of puffed up bastards most of 'em, always needing different outfits for this ball or that party." Star shifted in her saddle a little bit at that, causing the guard to look up as if in realization of whom he was in earshot with. "Oh, uh, begging your pardon m'lady, present company excluded of course."

Manfred took the opportunity to wrest control of this situation, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a handful of silver coins. "Look, here's a little gift for you, something for your friend too. I get where I need to go, lady gets her fancy outfit for the queen's funeral, you never saw us and we come back in the morning like it was all a dream. No one's in trouble, everyone's happy. Deal?"

The guard gave Manfred a greasy smile, pocketing the silver and shouting over to his companion "Oy Brian! Open the gate, these two need to get back into the city right quick!" As the bar was removed, Manfred inclined his head ever so slightly in gratitude to the guard and he and Star set off. As they were about to cross the threshold, Star was in disbelief. The plan had worked! They were really about to get away! Suddenly, as if fate decided it had not yet had enough fun torturing the young Butterfly tonight, a strong gust of wind came rushing up, knocking Star's hood clean off, her blond hair and hearts suddenly exposed for all to see.

Brian, the guard who had opened the gate, took notice and immediately shouted, "Corn take me! That's the princess! Guards to me! The princess is running off!"

Suddenly alarm bells were ringing, both Star and Manfred's horses whinnying in fright as men came and attempted to grab hold of the reins. Star panicked, unsure of what to do in the confusion when Manfred suddenly appeared in front of her, dagger in hand, slashing at any body part that came within reach. He shouted at Star. "Ride! You know where to go, ride! I'll hold them off!" Star didn't move at first, too paralyzed by the thought of losing yet another person tonight. More guards were gathering on the walls as others raced to the gate, Manfred's horse the only thing between them and Star. It was clearly well trained as it reared out and struck anything that came too close with its hooves, but it would tire soon. "Star! Go!" Manfred tried again.

Star tried to protest, "No Manfred I can't leave without you, please come on we can make it!" Manfred was hearing none of it though. Catching her eyes once apologetically, Manfred brought his hand down sharply on the back of Star's horse, causing it to rear with fright before bolting off, Star forced to grip the reins for dear life lest she be thrown from the saddle. She heard the sharp ping of arrows striking the cobblestones beneath her as the archers on the walls tried to take her down but she was rapidly getting out of range. Taking one last glance back, she saw Manfred finally swarmed by guards and taken down, and even more frighteningly, two riders emerge from the castle ready to take off after her. Galloping fast down the main thoroughfare of the city, another wave of adrenaline hit Star as one thought came to consumer her mind, _survive._

* * *

Star has always prided herself on being an excellent rider. Horseback riding was popular among the Mewman nobility, and so it was one of the few activities that overlapped Star's definition of fun and her mother's definition of proper princess behavior. Star had always loved letting her horses gallop, balancing herself perfectly in the saddle and letting the wind whip past her face and through her hair as her mounts ran through fields, jumped across logs, and charged through streams. Now, she was using every ounce of that skill to try and save her life. After racing out of town, her two pursuers hot on her heels, Star had tried to lose them by riding into the woods outside of town. Unfortunately, she hadn't seemed to take into account how difficult it would be to navigate the woods at night, in the dark with only the light of the twin moons to guide her, while being chased by two men who, of course, had freaking crossbows. _And why wouldn't they? It's hardly like my life is difficult enough or anything._ Star thought angrily. She was snapped out of her thoughts by a bolt whizzing past her head and imbedding itself in a nearby tree. Star had been running her horse hard for a while now and her pursuers evidently had fresher and faster mounts, they were gaining on her rapidly.

Suddenly Star saw what looked like grass and unblocked moonlight ahead. Perhaps in riding and weaving she had come to the end of the woods? If she could get into open ground and put on one last burst of speed maybe she could make good her escape! That brief flare of hope died however when Star instead found herself not in open plains but rather in a small clearing, the forest reappearing just as dense and uninviting in front of her as it had been behind her. And in that instant of hesitation where she stopped to consider her next move underneath two full moons in the open, she and her horse were sitting ducks. A dull smack followed by a scream of pain echoed through the clearing and beyond as a crossbow bolt found itself buried in Star's horse's flank, the beast rearing on its hind legs and throwing Star to the ground before galloping away in fear.

Star tried to stand up and chase after her mount shouting futilely "No wait come back!" Before the two riders burst into the clearing, cutting off her escape.

Dismounting and drawing swords, the two men approached her, one of them trying for friendly words although his twisted smile indicated anything but friendship. "Come now princess, Lord Toffee is eager to see you back at the castle. It's been so very fun accompanying you on your ride this evening, but really we must be going." He made to grab Star's arm and in a knee-jerk response Star slapped him hard across the face. The man yelped in pain, responding with a vicious backhand of his own, knocking Star to the ground with a gasp of pain, her hand trying instinctively to cover the bruise she could already feel forming there.

"Little bitch." The guard spat at her. "Lord Toffee said he needed you alive, didn't really say in what condition. Do that again and I'll make sure you have a couple nice new scars when you see him."

Star was looking up at the man fearfully when suddenly a new voice cut across the clearing, "now that's not any way to treat a lady is it?" Star glanced up to see where the voice had come from. Walking into the clearing and towards the three of them casually as if this were the most natural situation in the world was a young man about her age with light brown skin, brown hair, and a deep shade of brown eyes. He wore black trousers and a white buttoned shirt with a deep red vest on top of it and a brown cuffed jacket on top of that. She also notice he was wearing a sword and had one hand casually resting on the pommel although he had yet to draw it.

The two soldiers took note of it as well. The one not currently keeping his sword pointed at Star leveled his sword at the young man instead. "This is official business here for the Lord Chancellor. I don't know who you are and I don't really care. Now turn around and fuck right back off to wherever you came from before you get hurt." To Star's amazement, the young man paid the solider no heed, continuing to walk forward at a relaxed, almost bored pace. Enraged that his first threat hadn't worked, the soldier tried again. "You deaf or something? I said fuck off! Before I stick you like a damn pig! You hearing me?!"

By now, the young man was within striking distance of the soldier and to Star's shock removed a small pouch from his belt, bouncing it lightly in one hand, the unmistakable jingling of coins heard inside, the smile still plastered on his face. "Now friends, are you sure there isn't anything I can make you do to change your minds? Perhaps give the lady a quick apology and be on your way back home?"

The guard scoffed at him, taking his eyes off his opponent for a split second to joke with his partner. "You hear that? Little prick thinks he can pay us enough to go back to Lord Toffee and tell him we fail…. urk!" The second had proved all too fatal as the guard looked down at horror at the young man's sword now protruding from his stomach, his own blade falling to the ground out of numb fingers, mouth flailing as if trying to say something before toppling over backwards. With a shout of rage the other guard momentarily forgot about the young queen and charged at the man, determined to kill him. Star finally managed to get to her feet and saw the young man and solider exchange a few blows. She had watched the kingdom's knights and castle guards fight in the practice yard enough times to know when one of them was outmatched. Perhaps this boy was only good with tricks, or perhaps the soldier happened to be particularly skilled. Either way, the young man was clearly outmatched and wouldn't last long. Star looked back at the horses the soldiers had left in the meadow when they'd dismounted. This was her chance! If she could just get to one of them and ride fast enough before the soldier realized which direction she'd gone in, she could escape!

Star started moving towards the horses, the continued clang of steel on steel ringing in her ears and troubling her conscience. This random stranger, she didn't even know his name, had appeared out of nowhere as if in answer to her prayers and was trying to save her, even though he had no idea who she was. Was she really about to abandon him? On the other hand, what could she do? She was no trained fighter; she was a princess…. a queen, for corn's sake! And yet… she looked back and saw the increasing desperation in the movements of her would-be savior, saw the flashes of fear in his eyes. She sighed in defeat, _you're an idiot Star but at least you're a decent one._ She ran forward and picked up the sword from the fallen soldier, rushing into the fray. She reached the two of them just as the soldier managed to disarm the young man, preparing for the killing blow. Swinging wildly, Star managed to put a shallow cut across the back of the man's left leg, causing him to howl in pain. The distraction allowed the young man to recover his own sword and with another thrust through the gut, dispatch him.

The battle adrenaline wearing off, Star suddenly realized what she had done. She had just helped…. Even though he'd been trying to… she hadn't meant…. Dropping the sword in horror as the lifeless face of her potential kidnapper stared back up at her, Star ran a few paces away before collapsing to her knees, tears spilling down her cheeks, fighting the bile that threatened to climb up her throat. She took a number of deep breaths, trying to fight back the nausea and regain control of herself and flinched slightly when she felt a warm hand rest gently on her back. Looking up, she could see the young man who had saved her life looking at her, concern etched on his face and sympathy deep in his eyes.

"That was your first time killing someone wasn't it?"

Star had trouble finding her voice and could only give a small nod in response. The young man stood up and offered her a hand, which she reluctantly took, half standing, half pulled to her feet.

"It's alright to feel that way, normal even. I've seen a lot of soldiers who have this haunted look in their eyes from the killing they've done. Even if they were trying to hurt you, you still feel guilty about what happened to them. Shows you're a good person."

Star made eye contact with him, finally finding her voice amidst the jumbled thoughts and emotions running through her brain. "How did you know I was out here, and why did you help me?"

"My camp's not too far from here. Was fast asleep when your horse came barreling through, damn near trampled me." Star's face lit with hope for a moment only to fall a second later, "No sorry, she's gone. Kept running right on past me, no idea where she's got to now. Speaking of which…." He began walking towards the horses the soldiers had ridden, approaching slowly and making shushing noises in an attempt to keep them from spooking. Not sure what else to do, Star walked over with him. "As for why I helped you, didn't know what else I was supposed to do. Saw two guards throwing their weight around abusing some poor girl, didn't really think about it too much. You should count yourself lucky because I'm pretty bad with a sword and I didn't think the whole confidence routine was gonna work either. Guess fate hoped I would save you huh?"

He rummaged around both beasts for a second before clicking his tongue in disappointment. "No supplies or money and I can't take the crossbows, too many questions'll come up. Guess they weren't expecting to be gone long. Oh, what's this now?" He nudged a pack that had fallen to the ground, Star gasping in relief. "My supply pack! It must've fallen off the horse when she bolted!" Of course, seeing the pack reminded Star of all she had been through in the past few hours, the exhaustion, frustration, and a million other emotions suddenly threatening to overwhelm her as she swayed on her feet.

The man moved to stand next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder to help steady her until their eyes made contact and he withdrew quickly in embarrassment. Rubbing the back of his hand with one arm he looked at Star. "Look, I don't know what your story is but you seem completely exhausted, certainly in no condition to ride. We can walk the horses back to my camp and you can tell me what's going on, maybe I can help, maybe not. Either way it'll be a chance at a bit of sleep before you go anywhere, what do you say?"

Star looked at the stranger before her. He'd brought both salvation and death into her life, and now the small spark of hope. In spite of everything that had happened to her, for some reason she seemed to instinctively trust him, and like that the decision was made.

"All right, I'll come with you."

"Excellent!" He gave a wide grin that Star couldn't help but return in a smaller way. He took the reins of both horses, handing one to her as they began to walk side by side back into the woods. Thinking about the situation for a moment, Star realized something.

"By the way, what's your name anyway?"

He looked at her. "It's Marco, Marco Diaz. Yours?"

She hesitated for a moment…. "Star. My name is Star."

* * *

Toffee walked down the torch-lit hallways of Butterfly Castle, descending ever lower into the bowels of the ancient building. Turning down a particularly unremarkable hallway, he pushed open a heavy door into a room filled with the sound of whip cracks and dull groans. Various knives and spikes lay haphazardly on tables while assorted manacles could be found either bracketed into the walls or hanging from the ceiling. The Butterfly Castle torture chamber, a relic from darker periods in Mewni's history, Queen Moon had dabbled with the idea of getting rid of them altogether. Toffee had ensured those ideas never saw the light of day, unlike the foolish former queen, he understood the value of places such as these. Case in point was the man now hanging suspended from the ceiling before him. He had been stripped naked, his body covered in assorted bruises, cuts, and whip marks, dried blood running down his face from a head wound.

Toffee clicked his tongue softly. "My oh my Manfred, it's rather shocking to see you here. You've been a rather rebellious little servant, haven't you?" Manfred only spat in Toffee's general direction in response.

Toffee turned to the nearby torturer, "Has he talked yet?"

The man looked disgruntled, "No your lordship. He keeps insisting he doesn't know where the princess has gone. Says there wasn't any sort of plan beyond getting out of the castle." He was fidgeting nervously, men who disappointed Toffee tended not to live very long to talk about it. Fortunately for him, Toffee seemed focused exclusively on the beaten servant at the moment.

Toffee sighed and rolled up his sleeves. "If you ever want something done right you have to do it yourself, I suppose," he said aloud to no one in particular. Picking up a rather wicked looking knife, he placed it in a nearby brazier, making sure Manfred could see it. "Now Manfred, I'll give you on last chance, tell me what I want to know and you might just walk out of here alive."

"I would rather die than serve the likes of you, traitor!"

Toffee pulled the knife from the fire and walked back over to the helpless man, "wrong answer." With that, he set to work, making random gashes and light cuts seemingly in random locations on Manfred's body, stopping only occasionally to either reheat the knife and to repeatedly ask where Star had gone. No matter what he did however, he couldn't wring an answer out of the man. Most of the night passed by like this, and from his increasingly labored breathing it was clear Manfred's body had reached its limit. Setting the knife down, Toffee opted instead to wrap a large hand around Manfred's throat and begin squeezing.

As Manfred began convulsing from lack of air, Toffee's voice turned menacing to the point of hysteria. "If you want to take another breath before the end of your miserable life, you WILL tell me what I want to know. Make it easy on yourself, we both know I'm going to find that emptyheaded princess anyway, the only questions are how long it takes and how many other people will suffer because of it."

Manfred, still gasping, appeared to try and form words. Seeing this, Toffee released his grip just long enough for him to take a gasp of desperately needed air before shooting him as triumphant a grin as he could manage in his state. "Not princess, queen. She will be the greatest queen Mewni has ever seen and I can't wait for the day when she casts you down, even if I'm not there to see it. And if the universe is kind when you reach whatever punishment is reserved for traitors, the first thing you'll see will be my face, laughing at you. How's that for a last breath you arrogant son of a…" He was cut off as Toffee resumed his squeezing, grip stronger this time, until a few seconds later an audible *_crack*_ was heard and the life instantly drained from his eyes.

Toffee's eyes blared dangerously, Manfred's mocking words making him seethe with rage. He turned to the torturer. "Dispose of that piece of trash and then find Rasticore and have him sent to my chambers.

The man looked relieved, eager to do anything to stay in the man before him good graces. "Of course, Lord Chancellor, right away sir." Toffee however wasn't even paying attention, having already stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Approaching a large, open window he could see Mewni's twin moons slowly dipping down towards the horizon, signaling the inevitably coming of the dawn. _My dawn_, he thought to himself. _The dawn of Lord Toffee of Septarsis, ruler of Mewni. You may have delayed the inevitable Queen Moon, but I will find your foolish daughter, and this kingdom will be mine._ He looked out over the capital, seeing a number of golden Butterflies on magenta flags flapping in the lightening pre-dawn. Toffee smiled sinisterly; it was time to make some changes around here.

* * *

**A/N: And that's a wrap on chapter 1! Chapter 2 is already underway and I'm curious to hear what you all think about this story. Until then, stay classy!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: So You're a…...?**

* * *

The smell of food intermingling with woodsmoke tickled Star's nose to semi-wakefulness, eyes cracking open to see the sun already gracing the sky. Confusion was the first feeling to penetrate the lingering fog of sleep. She couldn't smell food all the way from the castle kitchens, and her bed was nowhere near this close to the ground and wait... was that grass? Grabbing a handful and staring intently at the green blades, the event of the past day suddenly flooded her mind. The escape from the castle, the chase from Toffee's guards, and meeting that boy…Marco. Marco had been his name. They'd gone back to his camp after everything had happened and he'd given her the blanket she now found herself wrapped in. Exhaustion had come for her quickly and she barely remembered even falling asleep. Speaking of which where was Marco? Star turned around at the sound of wood on metal, seeing Marco crouched before a medium sized black kettle held over a fire on a tripod, gentle stirring something bubbling and steaming within. That explained the smell of food at least, she reasoned, hunger suddenly making her stomach gurgle audibly enough for Marco to hear several feet away.

Looking up he caught her eyes, the gentle smile now rapidly becoming familiar to her gracing his face. "Ah, so you're awake then. Gotta say Star you really do sleep like the dead, didn't even twitch with all the noise I made getting the fire going and setting up breakfast. Well, almost like the dead, I guess the dead don't snore do they?" He chuckled quietly to himself at that.

Star's face grew red at the accusation. "I do not snore!" She huffed angrily.

"Uh-huh, sure you don't." Seeing her haughty expression Marco laughed again before ladling what appeared to be a thick stew into a couple bowls. "Come and eat something, I imagine you must be hungry by now." The words had barely left Marco's mouth before Star bolted up and raced over to the fire, eagerly grabbing the proffered meal and digging in with gusto.

Wolfing down her food, Star couldn't believe the rich and savory flavor, it was better than anything she'd ever eaten in the castle and the royal chef was supposed to be among the best in Mewni! She looked up at Marco, eating far more slowly and daintily, attempting to avoid getting any of the stew on his crisp shirt, tried to get out praise in between bites. "Mmmrph, Marco! This is… mrphhf… so good! Where did you learn how to make this?!"

Marco shrugged indifferently. "Oh, this is just my everything stew. Whenever I get close to the next town and know I'm restocking on supplies I try and take everything I don't have room for or that's about to go bad and toss it in the pot. Usually comes out pretty good."

"Good?! This is the best meal ever! Got any more in there?"

Marco laughed and served up another helping. It'd been a long time since he'd had company on the road and they certainly hadn't appreciated his cooking this much! Several bowls later and Star was lying on her back, one arm propped under her head, the other resting on her now very full stomach, the absolute picture of contentment. Marco on the other hand was tense, not looking forward to broaching the subject that had been bothering him for some time now. _No getting around it I suppose_, he thought to himself. "Hey Star, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Star sat up and gave Marco her undivided attention, "Sure Marco, what's on your mind?"

"Well it's… it's about last night."

Star's relaxed grin faded to one mild worry. "Wha…What about last night?"

Marco fixed her with the most serious expression he could muster. "Why were those two men chasing you? And why did they say it was the business of the Lord Chancellor?"

Star tensed, eyes darting quickly to where the two guard's horses stood quietly grazing with Marco's own draft horse. Could she grab her bag and get to one of them before Marco could catch her? Would he even chase after her? Did she still have any supplies? "Star?" Marco's voice cut through her line of thought. She gave a deep sigh internally; she didn't want to lie to Marco, he'd help save her and had been so nice this morning after all. But right now, she didn't know who she could really trust, the thought reminding her of just how alone in the world she felt.

After another pause trying to think of a good story, she remembered the cover Manfred had tried on the gate guard the previous evening. "My mother is the Lady Sabrina of Algrensan. I was a lady in waiting to Princess Star when Toffee…I mean the Lord Chancellor, tried to use me in his political games. Thought he could marry me off to some nobleman's son or something, I don't know what for. I try to avoid politics whenever I can. Anyway, I ran away trying to get back to my mother. I changed into riding clothes to disguise myself, took my horse, and fled the castle. I guess the Lord Chancellor sent those men after me to bring me back and well… you know the rest."

Marco nodded as if considering all Star had just told him. "So… you just happen to be a girl named Star, who was a handmaiden to Princess Star?"

Star's eyes nearly bugged out of her head and she fought the urge to slap herself. How could she have been that stupid?! "Uhhh… yes! It's just the oddest coincidence isn't it? Hehehehe…"

"Riiiggghhhttttt. You know, I was actually in Algrensan not too long ago. I actually saw a lovely mural of your mother in the town square by the fountain, do you know the one I'm talking about?"

"Oh yeahhhhh, that one! It's my favorite. I wave to it every time I go out riding. Hey mom! You know, typical noble daughter stuff."

"Star?"

"Yeah?"

"There's no mural in the town square at Algrensan."

"Right! I… I knew that! I was just testing you because, well maybe…" Star was cut off by Marco holding up a hand to her.

"If you're going to have a cover story Star, it had better be a good one. And if you're going to have a cover story for someone who travels a lot, it had better be a great one. Now…. Are you going to tell me what's really going on? If not, then I think we're done here. You can take your bag and one of the horses and go. I won't tell anyone I've seen you and you can head out to wherever you're going."

Star sighed in defeat, tears once again threatening to spill over, which just made her even angrier. She was a princess who loved riding and adventures, not some little crybaby! She could see Marco looking at her expectantly. "I'm….I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?"

Even now Star was reluctant. One part of her, the friendly princess, desperately wanted to confide in him. He had saved her life, been nothing but kind to her, and even when she had outright lied to his face he hadn't grown upset. He had appeared like a rock for her to cling to in the rapidly flowing shitstorm that had become her life in the last day and a half and she didn't want to let go. The other part of her, jaded by the betrayal and loss of her mother and her life as she knew it, was screaming at her to just run, to trust no one or anything until she reached her aunt Eclipsa.

What finally did it for Star were Marco's eyes. She met them and saw no calculating greed, no lust, no malice, just kindness and sympathy. Eyes like that couldn't belong to someone who meant to do her harm. "Alright Marco… To start off with, my full name is Star Butterfly, Princess of Mewni…."

Over the next hour or so, Star told him everything. The death of her mother, Manfred stealing into her room, Toffee's plan, the failed escape attempt, and how she had wound up in the clearing. When she was done, she had to admit Marco looked remarkably calm about the whole thing. A little too calm in fact, he wasn't even saying anything. "Uhhh, Marco?" She tried, only to see the poor boy slowly topple over backwards, eyes still open and staring blankly at nothing.

Marco came too a short while later, the sound of Star shouting his name while shaking him roughly rousing him back to consciousness. "Ugh, alright Star…Star? Star I'm fine stop shaking meeeeeee!" Star hopped backwards in embarrassment, "Oh, sorry about that Marco. You uh, you sort of fainted."

"Fainted? Why would I have…." He trailed off as his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, suddenly jumping away from Star as if she was venomous or would suddenly explode. "You're the princess!"

"Yes Marco, we just went over this and…" She trailed off seeing Marco drop to one knee.

"Your highness please forgive me. If I'd know I would have offered you the wagon to sleep in or better food, anything. I just… I had no idea."

Star's expression grew sad at that. Just like everyone else; once they found out Star was a princess it was like an invisible wall went up between her and whoever she was with. No one ever looked at her and just saw Star, no one except Marco… well, until now. Even on the run and out of a dress, the invisible cage of royalty still seemed to entrap her. Star pulled him up, "Please Marco, don't do any of that formal royal crap. We're alone in the woods, I don't think royal protocols apply out here. And besides I…."

Marco looked at her, "You what?"

Star seemed as if she was about to finish her sentence before thinking better of it. "Nothing."

Marco seemed at a loss for what to say after that. He tried changing tack, "Soooo, what'll you do now?"

Star shrugged noncommittally, grabbing her pack and walking towards the horses. The walls between her and Marco were up now, and with them any joy she seemed to find in the young man's presence had faded. "Like I said, I need to head north until I reach Aunt Eclipsa. She lives in a castle called Eagle's Rest all the way in the Musty Mountains."

"But that'll take weeks to get there!"

She gracefully bounced up into the saddle and gripped the reins, wheeling the horse toward the road. "Then I suppose the sooner I get started the faster I'll get there." She looked down at Marco, a mix of sadness and frustration on her face that gave Marco pause. Had he done something to offend her? He tried to act as a commoner should around a princess. His train of thought was interrupted by her speaking to him, the impetuous tone catching him off guard, so different from the laid-back tone he'd already grown used to. "Thank you for your services Marco Diaz. When I retake the throne, I shall find an appropriate way to reward you I'm sure." With that, she lightly kicked the horse in the flanks and it began walking away from the little campsite. Marco stared at her in shock for a moment before calling out "Star!" She didn't turn around. He started running after her, again calling out "STAR!" Still nothing. Fine! If she was going to try and ignore him then he'd make sure he couldn't. He suddenly took off sprinting, quickly passing the trotting horse and throwing his arms out wide across the road, causing the horse to rear up in fright, nearly throwing Star from the saddle.

The invisible wall came down for a moment in Star's mind, anger overtaking everything else. "Pegasus feathers Marco, what?!"

Realizing what he was doing, Marco suddenly looked sheepish, finding the dirt beneath him fascinating. Star almost let out a giggle with how much it reminded her of how she must've looked whenever Professor Glossaryck was mad at her. "Well… it's just that… you were heading south, not north."

"I…. oh. OH. Ummm, well, thank you for that… I guess."

Neither teen really knew what to say for a moment, Marco choosing to break the silence. "Star… have you, ever really traveled before? I mean do you know how to get to Eagle's Rest or have any supplies or money or, well, anything?"

"I…well…no. But I'll figure it out!" She tried to maneuver the horse around him to turn around without trampling him underfoot. Now facing the correct direction, she again urged her horse forward before Marco again called out her name, softly this time, "Star."

Against her better judgement, she again stopped the horse, turning halfway in the saddle to semi-face him. "Yes Mr. Diaz?"

"Well…I was thinking, what if you… I mean….I could… We could go there together. Travel together I mean."

Star's eyes grew wide at the thought. "You'd….You'd really want to travel with me? You'd take me to my aunt?"

Marco blushed slightly. "Well sure. I mean you obviously don't know where you're going." He held up his hands defensively as he saw her expression grow angry "Which is totally fine! Lot's of people don't travel much! But I do. I know how to get to the Musty Mountains and I have supplies and the wagon. You'll be able to travel in disguise and well… it'll be nice. To have company I mean." Star started grinning at the thought of traveling with Marco, seeing all new places, making her way to her aunt's castle. It was like one of the stories she read about grand adventures come to life! "Besides, I've never been able to escort a princess before." The illusion in Star's head cracked like glass at that. So he was still going to treat her like royalty huh? She could feels the walls come back up slightly, although the prospect of a companion on the road still raised her spirits a bit.

She gave him a wide grin, "Alright I'll do it!"

Marco couldn't help but grin back. "Then we should hurry and break camp; and we'll have to let the horses free."

Star pouted at that, "but why?"

"It'll look suspicious to people to see me with a cart and my draft horse and you riding a war stallion next to me but in rider's clothes. Gossip travels fast out here and we need to keep a low profile. You can just ride with me in the wagon up front. The bench is big enough for two."

Star seemed unsure but if she was going to trust Marco enough to travel with him… "Alright, I guess that makes sense."

Marco nodded. "Good. Now let's get going." He could see the sun rapidly climbing in the sky. "We'll have to move quickly if we want to make the next town by dark."

* * *

A few hours later found Star and Marco on the road northward seated together on the front of the wagon, the campsite having long since receded behind them. Well, perhaps it was fair to say that one of them was seated on the wagon. While Marco sat focused on the road ahead and controlling his horse, alert if bored by another dusty road along a relatively unremarkable stretch of plain, Star was constantly bouncing around, unable to sit still. Every stream, every copse of trees, even just the expanse of grassland stretching out across the horizon ahead of them seemed to elicit gasps and exclamations of wonder from the young princess, shortly followed up by a barrage of questions directed at Marco. Did the stream have a name? Was this particular portion of the plain famous (as opposed to the section they had just traversed a mile ago which wasn't)? What types of trees were they passing? At one point in the afternoon Marco had been bored enough to feel a little mischievous and had told Star that the section of road they were traveling down had once been the site of an epic battle between two armies led by rival princes each seeking the hand of a princess. Star had practically gone airborne at that, eyes wide with excitement and demanding Marco tell her the full story. He'd thought on his feet and quickly come up with something cobbled together from a few different stories and legends he knew that he hoped Star would buy. To his credit, it seemed she had, the look of wonder replaced with one of contentment and peace restored to his cart…. At least for 30 seconds until the next question had come up. Casting a glance up at the sky, Marco wondered if he was going to end up regretting this.

Eventually the two had stopped for an afternoon stretch and a bite of some leftover bread and apples Marco had on hand. They had situated themselves underneath the shade of some willow trees and as Marco finished hitching his horse to one of the trunks to let it graze and drink, he heard Star excitedly calling out his name. Sighing at the thought of answering yet another round of the energetic princesses' seemingly endless questions, Marco strode up the bank to find Star rummaging through his wagon. He crossed his arms in annoyance, "Star, what are you doing going through my stuff?"

Star looked up, excitement and curiosity blotting out even a hint of apology on her face. "Welllll I was looking for my pack and I thought I put it back here and then I found all this neat stuff you have! Like this!" She displayed a hefty box of iron nails "Or these!" She held up some fine martin pelts. "Oh and what is this?!" Star had pulled out an absolutely gorgeous red, pink, and white silk dress meant to sit off one shoulder and clasped with a heart-shaped button. "Bringing back a gift for your girlfriend? Oh I bet she's going to love it!" Marco blushed furiously, roughly grabbing the dress out of Star's hand and trying to reorganize his wagon now that she had upset his carefully balanced system. There, he sighed, everything back in place.

He looked up to see Star still looking at him expectantly, clearly wanting answers to the questions she'd just thrown at him. "No Star, it's not for anyone, I don't have a girlfriend. These are my goods to trade with."

Star looked at him in confusion, "what'd you mean trade?"

Now Marco looked surprised. "I told you this morning I travel around a lot, I have a wagon full of random goods…" He trailed off as if the answer should be obvious to Star. When she failed to respond he said "You really don't know what I am?"

"Nope!" Bright grin still affixed.

"Well I'm a traveling merchant. I guess some people call us peddlers when they want to describe us as lower class."

Star still looked lost. "Okkkkkkk… and what does a traveling merchant do?"

"You seriously don't know?"

Star looked defensive, "Professor Glossaryck never mentioned them to me in my lessons!" Her look then turned sheepish. "Well he might have and I might've not… have been paying attention."

Marco was taken aback. This princess really was naïve about everything outside the castle wasn't she? Alright, well how best to explain something that every child in Mewni would know at least something about? "Well, I guess the simplest explanation is I buy and sell things and move them between towns. Every place I go I try and sell everything in my wagon to either a trade company or a store owner and make a profit. Then I buy a new load of goods that I think I can sell in the next town, grab some supplies, and I'm off again. There's hundreds of us all across the kingdom, linking little towns with big cities and ports and even other kingdoms. In fact, I like to think we're the lifeblood of Mewni, nothing moves without us! Gold, connections, and information all flow between us as we mark the roads with our wagons and blaze new trade routes!" He said that last bit puffing his chest out a bit, taking pride in the glorious image he'd painted for himself and his fellow merchants.

Star looked equally impressed by the description. "And I bet you get to go on all kinds of crazy adventures and see the world and fight off evil too?!"

Marco looked over at her, "Well no actually. We mostly just go from town to town with our wares. I mean it's always really exciting when you get a good deal on things! But this is my job, why the heck would I go out looking for danger?"

Star suddenly deflated at this. "Yeah…. I guess that makes sense. Never mind." Marco had to fight off feeling bad about her reaction. He'd only told her the truth after all! Still, Star looked like a bit of light had gone out of the world, her normal exuberance failing to return even as they got back on the wagon and headed off. Unlike earlier, Star just sat on the wagon next to him, her previous sense of wonder gone. Marco tried to think of something, anything, to say to bring her back to her cheerful self, ironic given that not too long ago he'd wanted her to calm down for a bit. But sadness and disappointment weren't the same thing as calm or quiet contentment, Marco knew the difference. He just didn't know how to fix it.

By dusk, the pair had made it to a small village, emphasis on small. There was only a single road leading in and out of town, a few homes lining the street and farmland surrounding them in the fading daylight. Directing the wagon, Marco made a bee-line for the only two-story building in town, the typical metal signs of a bed and a mug of ale hanging off the front indicating it was an inn. Marco walked around his horse to the other side, intent on offering Star a hand to help herself down but to his shock, and mild disappointment, she rebuffed him and hoped down instead. She hadn't said a word since the afternoon and while Marco didn't think she was angry with him, seeing her withdrawn into her own little world was still disconcerting.

Star followed Marco as they entered the doorway, the middle-aged innkeeper looking up at the two. Star noticed he had the same tan skin-tone as Marco and when he started speaking it was in a rapid-fire language that Star didn't understand. What surprised her even more however was when Marco answered easily, walking up to the counter and exchanging what sounded like a few pleasantries and some questions between the two. At one point the innkeeper said something that to Star looked like a question that involved her since he pointed between the two of them. She had no idea what it was but Marco's sudden blush and holding his hands up in front of him, shaking them in denial was admittedly pretty funny. An involuntary giggle escaped her and Marco turned suddenly as if remembering that she was there at all, causing his blush to take on an even darker shade. Accepting a key from the man, Marco began walking towards the stairs gesturing for Star to follow while the innkeeper bellowed something into a back room and a young boy came running out, presumably to take care of the wagon, Star thought.

She followed Marco to the third room on the left-hand side where he unlocked the door and stepped in, Star taking a look around. There was a simple stone fireplace, two beds, a shuttered window, and a small desk with a chair and a candle resting in a holder on top. Marco smiled widely as if it were a palace, throwing open the window and taking a breath of the warm evening air. For Star, it was easily the smallest room she had ever been in. Before she had any time to contemplate that thought however, Marco turned around to her. "The inn-keep told me dinner should be ready for everyone in a few minutes. We have to keep a low profile so try and keep your hood up alright? We don't know who might be here who can recognize you."

Star sighed dejectedly, "Sure Marco, whatever you say." She made to leave the room but Marco spoke up again.

"Oh and Star?"

She turned to face him, mildly surprised at the light, almost teasing grin on his face. "He told me that it's stew tonight for dinner so I'm going to need you to taste plenty of it and tell me if it's better than mine ok?"

For the first time in a while, Star managed a smile in spite of herself. "Sure Marco, I think I can manage that."

* * *

One rather satisfying, although not as good as Marco's, Star had assured him repeatedly, dinner later and the two companions found themselves back in their room. There was no moon out tonight and it was much too warm for a fire so Marco lit the candle on the desk for lighting and slipped off his jacket before plopping down onto the bed, hands folded behind his head and supported by the pillow. While he seemed the picture of quite contentment and relaxation after a long day's travels, Star seemed to be growing tenser and tenser, a pressure building in her that if it didn't find release soon was going to cause her to burst!

Finally, Star couldn't take it anymore and called over to her companion "Hey Marco?" The boy in question gave a sigh and sat up, preparing himself for another round of questions. Maybe it would be all about innkeepers this time, or cooking, or if there was a servant coming to light a fire or something.

"Yeah Star?" Now looking at her, he could see that she was fidgeting, hands held in her lap and biting her lower lip as if she was wrestling with what she was about to ask him. When she finally seemed to steel herself and he heard her ask "Are you from Mewni?" He was floored. He certainly hadn't expected that line of questioning! Granted, it hadn't come off as accusatory or anything, sounding more curious than anything else. He was honestly just surprised she would suddenly start asking about his personal life out of the blue like that.

"Well yeah Star of course I'm from Mewni. What would make you think I wasn't?"

She looked embarrassed at having even asked in the first place now. "Well it's just… you have the same skin tone as the innkeeper and you two were speaking that other language downstairs…I… I've never heard anything like that before. So I was just…I'm sorry it was rude of me to just assume and I guess I…." Her rambling apology was stopped by Marco holding up a hand, posture now visibly more relaxed and he let out a long internal sigh. _So that's all this is about_. He thought to himself.

"No, it's alright. The innkeeper and I were speaking Andalisian with one another, that's all."

"Andal what now?"

"Andal-is-ian." Marco emphasized slowly, sounding it out for Star. "Do you know about the kingdom of Andalucia?"

Star concentrated for a moment, the name ringing a bell from one of Glossaryck's lessons. "It's a realllyyyy big kingdom to the south. But like, way far away from here right? Across the ocean of probable hurricanes?"

Marco nodded in affirmation. "Exactly. The people that live there speak Andalisian. The innkeeper is probably from there and must've just spoken it to me out of habit. Luckily I know it too and it wasn't an issue. Problem solved." He gave a quick nod of his head as if the matter had been thoroughly explained and made to lay back down.

"But where did you learn to speak it? And so well! It looked like you didn't even have to think about the response!" Marco paused at that. This was a conversation he really didn't want to get into right now, or ever for that matter.

"It's a long story Star and I'm pretty tired. Is there any way we can not talk about this right now?" He shifted over to lay on his side, facing away from the princess. Her lack of an immediate reply made him think the matter had been settled, even if he did feel a little guilty for the somewhat harsh tone he had answered her in. He'd try and make it up to her at breakfast or something. Suddenly he felt an additional weight come crashing onto the bed. Looking up he saw Star now kneeling on the mattress beside him, knees tucked under her and hands clasped together in front of her chest in a pleading gesture, and eyes in the single most intense puppy-dog stare Marco had even seen. It was childish in the extreme, it was an invasion of his personal space, it was absolutely adorable, and it was rapidly eroding his willpower. When she threw in a tiny, almost mewling, "pleassseeee" on top of it, Marco knew he was screwed.

Nodding in acquiescence, for some odd reason not trusting his tongue to work properly in that moment, he sat up again. Star for her part seeing that she was going to get her way did a quiet cheer, fist pumps and all, before getting into a more comfortable position. For several moments, nothing was said between the two. Marco thought deeply about when and how to begin his story while Star kept all her attention fixated on Marco, trying her best to contain herself, worried that interrupting him might cause him to renege on explaining things to her. Finally, Marco got started.

"I can speak Andelisian so well because I am one. Well, half of one anyway. My mom was from Mewni and my father was from Andalucia." _Was?_ Star thought. _Then that means that… oh no._ She quickly tried to dissuade him, "Marco it's alright you don't have to talk about it anymore!"

"It's fine Star, already told you the first bit, you might as well hear the whole thing." With a deep breath he started again. "I don't know how much you know about Andalucia apart from where it is and that it's massive, but suffice to say it's a kingdom that runs on slavery. The servants to the nobility are slaves, the common laborers are slaves, the soldiers are slaves, and the ships are crewed by slaves. They operate these massive galleys rowed by hundreds of slaves chained to benches below decks all day and night. They eat, sleep, and shit in their benches, rowing to drum beats and to the crack of whips. Suffice to say they usually don't last long."

Marco looked up to see Star's eyes wide and fixated on him, mouth covering her hands in horror. Glossaryck had definitely never told her about anything like this! She didn't know whether to ask Marco to stop or to keep going and so said nothing. Marco for his part took the silence as permission and continued.

"In conditions like that, escape was damn near impossible. You rowed until your back gave out, or disease took you, or one of the task masters was just in a bad mood and beat you to death. One day the ship my father was on pulled into a port here in Mewni to resupply and the rower next to him died on the spot. By some divine intervention, or dumb luck, or maybe just a drunk master, when they uncuffed the dead man they also had to uncuffed one of my father's hands and somehow managed to forget to relock it! That night while the sailors were out drinking or visiting certain…establishments… he managed to get his other hand free and sneak off the ship. He could barely walk from the muscle atrophy, he had nothing to his name but the rags he was wearing, and couldn't speak the language. Heck, at the time he didn't even know what country he was in, but suddenly he was a free man. Whatever he did next would be his choice!"

Star could practically feel the pride coming off of Marco as he recounted this part of the story, and to be fair she could see why. It sounded like quite the tale so far, and she wanted to hear more of it. "So what happened next Marco?"

"Hang on Star I'm getting to that part; you can't rush these things you know." She giggled in response. It was nice to see him so… so energized!

"So he's walking through the city, and he knows the first thing he has to do is get out of there. Otherwise come morning the task masters might come looking for him. Finally he finds the perfect method of escape, a cart full of dead fish!"

"Dead fish?"

"He was a galley slave for two years who only ever got bathed when a big enough wave managed to throw water through the oar hole. If he'd hidden anywhere else the stench would've alerted people."

"That… that sounds disgusting."

"Oh it was! Dad never ate fish again the rest of his life. Point being the plan worked. He managed to smuggle himself out of the city and ditched the cart at the next town. Luckily enough it was a pretty substantial river town called Echo Creek where no one would notice another foreign beggar, and that's what he started off doing, begging. He learned Mewman by listening to conversations and tried to scrape together enough money to start some kind of life, any kind of life. Sometimes he would go days without eating just to save a few extra coins until eventually he was able to buy himself a basic set of clothes that weren't slave rags. From there it was a fairly easy to grab a job as a day laborer and after that rent a straw pallet in a back storeroom in one of the local shops. It wasn't much of a life but it the important thing was that it was his."

Marco paused again seeing Star welling up. "I had no idea some people lived on so little and that they could be…happy with it."

"It's a hard world out there Star. Mewni might not have slavery, but some people still do starve or freeze to death. And dad wasn't happy yet."

"But he was free! I thought that would make him happy!"

"Nope. Oh don't get me wrong he was grateful for his freedom and his life. I think he cherished every day that he wasn't chained up in that ship, no matter what else happened to him. And having a job and even a warm place to put his head at night made him content. But he wasn't happy yet, not until he met my mother anyway."

"Oh it already sounds romantic! How did they meet? Did he sweep her off her feet in a grand romantic gesture? Did they lock eyes across the market one day and instantly fall in love?"

Marco chuckled at that. "Not quite like that. She said hello to him."

"Hello?"

"Hello to you too Star." Marco let out a full-blown laugh at that while Star pouted. "Back to the story mister."

"Right, right, sorry. The way they always told the story was that one day my father was in the market and my mother came up to ask him about where to find fresh vegetables. They ended up chatting for a few minutes and when she left my mom asked for his name. It was…. It was the first time someone had actually bothered to ask him his name for a non work-related reason in years. Dad fell in love with her instantly after that. I mean to be fair he put it more like… 'mijo, the sun shot a beam of light directly onto your mother's angelic face and in that moment, I saw forever and beyond and knew I had to marry her or my heart would burst!' They courted, got married, and dad moved into the small farm my mom owned a few miles outside of town. Couple years went by and then yours truly came on the scene."

Star grew misty eyed for a moment thinking of the tiny little farmstead, Marco's parents and a little baby Marco all cuddled together. For his part, Marco started breathing deeply, steeling himself for the next bit. Star had a feeling this is where the story took a decidedly less happy turn.

"One day my mom sent me into town to fetch some supplies. Most of the time she did it herself but as I got older I think she understood that it was an opportunity for me to play with some of the town kids. I loved my parents but growing up on a pretty isolated farmstead you don't really get a chance to play with anyone your own age." Star nodded in agreement, she could understand _exactly_ how that felt. "So I did what I'd done every other time; walked to town, grabbed what I needed, and spent a couple hours playing with my friends. By the time I got back home it was nearly dark… so I couldn't understand what the glow on the horizon was. I raced back to the house and it was ablaze. I kept calling out for my parents, hoping they were somewhere hiding from the fire. When they didn't answer I thought maybe they'd run off to get help. I… I didn't find them until after the fire burned out. Some of my mom's silk hair ribbons had managed to survive. Of course, I didn't want to believe it at the time, even if a part of me accepted the truth staring me in the face. I slept in the burnt down ruins of my life that night, and the next two nights after that. There were a couple of early vegetables in the ground I lived off of and the well still had water and thankfully it was a warm spring that year. So I just sat there, unwilling to accept what had happened, waiting for my parents to come home."

Star didn't know what to say to that, to any of it. What should she say? What could she say? Part of her wanted to embrace him and tell him it was going to be alright, but they hadn't known each other that long and she didn't want to drive him away. So, being Star, she ended up asking the first question that popped into her head. "How old were you?"

"Twelve."

That did it! Star lunged at Marco, wrapping him in a near-death embrace, tears flowing freely. She didn't know why, but in that moment, she wanted to do anything she could to take every ounce of pain he'd no doubt been dragging around all these years and get rid of it. She wanted him to know he wasn't alone in the world, that someone cared about him, that she cared about him! Wait, where had that thought come from? She jumped back suddenly, a heavy coat of pink plastered on her cheeks, glancing over at Marco to see him faring little better. Eager to get the awkward situation behind them as soon as possible, Marco coughed into his hand and made to continue his story.

"Denial or not, in hindsight I guess staying put was really one of the few choices I had. I didn't have any other family, no money, and no way to carry even the little supplies I still had. The only other option would be to head back to Echo Creek and either beg or throw myself on the mercy of one of my friend's families. Not that that would've worked most likely. Town folk or not, I doubt anyone I knew could afford another mouth to feed, especially a growing boy. Then on the fourth day, I heard the sound of a wagon heading past the house. I was so desperate for human contact at that point I rushed out to see who it was. He was a traveling merchant and had just come through town. He took one look at me and said 'son, you look like shit.' He made me tell him what happened and then offered to bring me back to town or to any family I had. When I told him there wasn't anyone in town I could go to or any family that would take me in…. well I guess he took pity on me. He made camp at the farm that night and I had my first full meal in days. He kept quizzing me all night around the fire. Did I know how to read and write? Did I know how to work with numbers? Could I lift that box over there? I kept asking him what it was all for but he wouldn't tell me. By the time I woke up the next morning he'd already loaded his things and looked ready to leave. I was almost desperate enough for human contact that I nearly begged him to stay. And when he told me to stop being a layabout and get on the wagon, I broke down in tears. I was so happy to be with someone again, I didn't even care when he chucked me straight off the cart into the first creek we came across and told me to wash myself before my stench ruined the furs he was hauling."

Marco laughed at the memory and despite herself Star laughed too, picturing the event. "I spent the next four years as his apprentice, learning everything about being a traveling merchant. How to make good deals, what the best routes were at different times. He even taught me a bit of swordplay in case we were ever attacked by bandits. Never thought I'd end up using that to save a princess mind you but I guess that should just make me more grateful for the lessons. Then one night we pulled into an inn and he was quieter than usual. Keep in mind he didn't exactly talk much when he wasn't dealing with a client or teaching me lessons or trading information with another merchant but he just wasn't saying anything. We went to our room that night and when I woke up he was gone. I figured he just rose early and got breakfast so I went downstairs and didn't see him. I asked the innkeeper who told me my master had left at dawn. No note, no explanation, and evidently no money because the next thing I knew I was holding his coin pouch. I was almost afraid to touch the thing, he'd always guarded it so jealously! But, there I was again, Marco Diaz, alone in the world. At least this time I had money, training, a horse and a wagon full of goods. I've spent the last year moving through Mewni trading. Whenever I go through a familiar town I ask everyone I can think of if they've seen my master, but the answer's always the same. So I move on, I make deals, buy and sell things, trying to save up enough money to fulfill my dream."

Star cocked her head at that, "your dream?"

Marco shrugged noncommittally, "Well not exactly my dream. It was my master's dream…. sort of. I guess it's every traveling merchant's dream in the end."

Star was intensely interested now, all sorts of thoughts of adventure, fame, riches, and other daring escapades running through her head. "What is it? What is it? What is it?!"

"Well it's to open my own shop." Star's wide-eyed fantasy suddenly shattered into a million pieces around her and she looked at Marco in confusion, certain that she couldn't have just heard him right. But Marco was sitting there nodding sagely as if he'd just said the wisest thing ever. That self-assured calm was shattered in turn when Star said to him, "How could that possibly be your dream? It sounds so boring, so…. So safe! Don't you want a life of adventure and excitement? Seeing far off lands and all the world has to offer?"

Marco narrowed his eyes at her, "I don't recall asking for your opinion on the matter… _princess._" He added that last word with a sarcastic venom that set Stars blood boiling.

"Hey! Don't get all pissy at me just because your dream is so stupid! Heck, it's not even your dream! It's every other merchant's dream, why don't you want something different?"

"Because it's all I have alright!?" Star was taken aback by the pain in Marco's voice, his now mournful expression dousing the anger she'd felt a moment ago. "I have been living in inns and in my wagon for five years now because I have nothing! No home, no family, no parents, not even my grumpy asshole of a master! So sorry that my idea of a safe life I can call my own where I have my own bed to lay in at night and a community and people who I can befriend and… and… and….!" Marco couldn't think of anything else to say, his hands which he'd raised in the passion of his speech falling to his sides, his throat hoarse from shouting he stood and went for one of the two mugs and bucket of fresh water he'd placed on the desk in the room when they'd come back from dinner. Taking a deep drink he cast a glance over at Star who was now sitting with the legs pulled up into her chest, hands clasped around her knees as if hugging herself. Taking a deep drink, Marco couldn't resist firing off a parting shot. "As if a princess who grew up living in a castle her whole life with servants waiting on her every whim could even begin to understand what the fuck a life like mine is like." He sat down in the chair at the desk with a heavy thud, the scraping sound of its legs moving backwards almost drowning out Star's muttered reply.

"You don't know anything about my life."

Marco scoffed at that. "Yeah alright princess, tell me all about how horrible your life of luxury is."

Star met Marco's sarcastic glance with a deadly serious expression of her own that wiped the smirk clear off his face. "You mean apart from fleeing for my life from my now dead mother's chief advisor because he wants me for universe only knows what so he can take control of the kingdom? That luxurious enough for you Diaz?"

_Shit,_ Marco thought. In all the story telling and heated arguing he'd forgotten for half a second why Star was with him in the first place! "Look Star I didn't mean…." But he was cut off by Star's continued speech.

"Or how about the fact I don't have parents anymore either? Mom's dead! Didn't even get to say goodbye to her before the whole fleeing for my life thing happened. Dad died when I was seven. I'm sure you've heard the ballad of King River right?"

Of course Marco had. Every child on Mewni born in the last decade and a half had heard it. During Mewni's last great war with invaders from the east, it had been King River who'd set out with the royal army and had beaten them so badly that they lost all taste for battle and retreated back across the vast grasslands that made up Mewni's border. The songs said it had taken a hundred men to bring the king down after he already stood atop a mountain of enemy corpses so high it rivaled the northern mountains in height! When Marco had been a boy he'd been enraptured by the tale, picturing himself as one of Mewni's brave knights, boldly defending the kingdom alongside the valiant and fallen king. As he'd grown older he came to realize the song was probably exaggerated somewhat but River had still been a king who'd laid down his life for the realm but he didn't see what that had to do with Star losing her own….oh. OH! King…princess… oh sweet universe that was Star's father! He made to say something but Star wasn't done yet, not by a long shot.

"And yes, I grew up in a castle full of nobles and servants and knights…. And they all looked down on me. Star the clumsy princess who couldn't master court etiquette. Star the princess who would never live up to the expectations of her regal mother. Said regal mother who constantly berated me for missing my lessons, always lecturing me about my responsibility to the kingdom and the burden of the crown. And that was before she got too sick to spend any time with me! I was a kid! I thought that kind of stuff was years away! I didn't understand why I couldn't have fun or go play with the others or go on adventures like in the stories bards would come and sing! Bet you didn't know before the other night I'd never even left Sperana!" Star was now breathing heavily, struggling to contain her emotions. Marco meanwhile was just sitting there in stunned silence.

"All I've ever wanted," Star continued, "Was to have a life of my own, a life I chose. No pressure to marry some noble brat, no expectations about _proper ruling_. A life where I could do things the Star Butterfly way. And… and people to share those times with. You know how you were talking about those kids in Echo Creek you played with? I WISH I'd had that. The few times I got to interact with commoners they were just like you this morning, all bowing and scraping on their knees, afraid of offending the oh so high and mighty princess of Mewni. Not that the noble kids were any better. They were all either afraid of me or only ever wanted to be around me so that my mom would grant royal favors to their parents. So yeah, I grew up surrounded by people Marco, and I would've traded it all away for just one afternoon on that wagon with your master. That's why I was so disappointed with your dream. The world has so much to offer, I can't imagine wanting to spend the rest of my life stuck in one little corner of it."

Star looked down at her feet, not having left the fetal position during her entire story. The sound of the chair legs again scraping the floor not drawing her attention. She only had the presence of mind to look up when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her somewhat awkwardly given her ongoing self-hugging position. Not that it mattered much to Star, the sudden feeling of warmth, the attempt at conveying apology and understanding through that simple act more than making up for any oddity in the angle. In that moment, Star decided that Marco hugs were one of her new favorite things, which naturally meant it had to end all too soon.

Marco sat on the bed next to Star, eyes switching back and forth between his shoes and Star's face guiltily. Neither of them said anything for what felt like forever, until Marco finally broke the silence.

"Star."

"Yes Marco?"

Marco shook his head. "No I wasn't calling you. Well ok I guess I was, sort of. Ugh! What I'm trying to say is, from now on I'm going to call you Star and just Star. No more of this princess crap. Until we get to your Aunt Eclipsa you won't be Star Butterfly, royal princess of Mewni, you'll be Star Butterfly, traveling companion to renowned merchant and adventurer extraordinaire Marco Diaz! Maybe I can't give you the most adventurous life ever but I can at least show you all of Mewni that we see while we travel north. If… if you want to stay together that is?"

Star nodded, wiping away yet more tears from her eyes. Universe she really had been crying wayyyyy too much tonight. She was about to reply to Marco when she noticed him looking deep in thought as if stuggling with a weighty problem. Suddenly he snapped his fingers and his face lit up in delight. "Mariposa!" He exclaimed.

"Uhhh, bless you?" Star said.

"No, no. I just realized you're going to need an alias while traveling. We need to avoid detection after all, Toffee's probably going to be searching for you. So when we're not alone your name will be Estrella Mariposa! We can get some makeup at the next town to hide your hearts so you won't have to wear your hood all over the place and boom, perfect disguise! What'd you think?"

Star nodded slowly. It seemed like a decent enough plan. She hadn't been introduced into society yet so commoners wouldn't know what she looked like and only a handful of nobles would be able to recognize her on the spot and she doubted they'd run into them. There was just one thing… "What exactly does Mariposa mean?"

Marco's face took on a tint of red to it. "Oh! Uhh… well it's Andalisian. It means…star butterfly."

Star couldn't help but giggle at his flustered appearance. Standing up she gave him a mocking half curtsy. "Alright then Mr. Diaz, oh noble traveling merchant from afar. I, the beautiful and adventurous Estrella Mariposa shall be happy to accompany you on your travels to the Musty Mountains."

Marco groaned and slapped a hand over his face. "I already know I'm going to regret this." Star could only laugh in response. Marco made to get up and start getting ready for bed before noticing Star's pack at the foot of hers. "Hey Star? What's in that pack of yours anyway?"

Star made to grab the light brown knapsack, hefting it up onto her bed. "You know in all the insanity of the last couple days I've never even opened it. I didn't even get to pack it, Manfred just chucked it at me when he came into my room to help me escape the castle." Star proceeded to go rummaging through the pack, carelessly tossing things out onto the bed and the floor. "Let's see here, canteen, flint and fire starter, bag of… well I guess there were wild nuts and berries, I suppose it's just paste now." A few more items went spilling onto the floor and Marco's eye began to twitch, the urge to clean and organize it all causing him to rise before a loud gasp from Star stopped him. He looked up to she was holding an absolutely gorgeous silk blue dress. Different shades intermingled with one another along the sleeves and skirt while the center was a solid sky blue that matched Star's eyes perfectly. Not that Marco had already memorized the shade of her eyes mind you! He was just an astute merchant is all! Star for her part was staring at the dress with a mixture of joy and sadness playing out on her face.

"This… this was my favorite dress. My mom gave it to me, 'to shine as bright as your namesake' she used to say. I wore this to every ball over the last couple of years. I never thought I'd see it again." She hugged it tightly to herself, swaying gently and humming as if remembering a far away memory. Gently placing the item on the bed, Marco noticed how it was treated almost reverently compared to the rest of the items carelessly scattered about, Star reached in for the final item which appeared to be a rather hefty tome. The mahogany brown front cover was covered in an intricate design and appeared far too thin for the pages, which seemed as if they would burst out from between their bindings any moment.

"Star what the heck is that?"

She shrugged, "No idea. It's not one of mine. Maybe it belonged to my mother or something and Manfred wanted me to have it?" Star opened to a random page, skimming a few lines before groaning and falling back onto her bed, again carefully avoiding the dress. Looking over at the still open book now resting on her lap, Marco could see the pages were absolutely crammed with neat, intricate writing and in the margins it looked like there were illustrations of…a bald blue man in a yellow robe?

"Star not to be rude but was the royal family secretly worshiping some sort of blue cult god or something?"

"Ugh, no Marco. Say hello to Professor Glossaryck."

"Professor who now?"

"Glossaryck. He was my formal tutor growing up. I'd recognize his handwriting anywhere and now it looks like he's started doodling himself…in blue! Why in blue?! Was it because I doodled him blue one time when I was ten? Did he really remember that?!"

"Uhhh Star?"

"Right, right, sorry. Looks like he gave me this book to continue my princess training. See here? Take a look." She pointed at the open page. "How to conduct oneself properly when overseeing the royal dinner at the annual corn harvest festival. This is the kind of shit I was talking about! I should just throw this stupid thing away!" With a huff she chucked the oversized tome with more strength than Marco thought she could possess over to the other side of the room where it hit the wall with a loud *thwack! * Marco went to go pick it up and saw that it had fallen open to the back, glancing down at the now open page, Marco smiled before picking it up and bringing it back over to Star.

"Maybe not all of it princess lessons." Star looked up confused until she saw what Marco was pointing at. The open page had a map Star would recognize anywhere; it was an exact replica of the tapestry Glossaryck had hanging in his tower. Next to the map was another doodle of the man with an air bubble that read _for all the adventures you're going to have. Remember to learn along the way, I believe in you._ The page next to the map was blank and as Star flipped through all the way to the back end she realized there must be 50 pages of blank paper here!

Marco, who'd been reading over Star's shoulder, smiled at her. "Looks like you're going to get to document your adventures. A princesses' journal of all the amazing things in Mewni for future queens to read through."

Star nodded and smiled softly, "He always was nice to me, in his own way. I guess he really did care about my happiness. Almost makes me wish I was a better student… most of the time."

Marco laughed at that. "At least you only got a scolding. When my master saw I wasn't paying attention he would cuff me on the back of the head so hard I thought my ears had turned into bells. He used to say 'If I can't talk this lesson into you boy I can sure as hell beat it into you.'" The two shared another laugh together, before both yawned nearly simultaneously.

Stretching, Marco made to blow out the candle now burning low on the table. "We should get some rest, we have a long day of travel ahead of us tomorrow, and an even longer journey after that." With a light puff of air he snuffed out the flame, turning around and feeling his way in the now pitch black room to his bed, climbing in contentedly.

"Goodnight Star."

"Nighty night Marco!"

And though neither of them could see the other's face in the darkness, both fell into slumber with wide smiles on their faces, basking in the new friendship that had been formed that night.

* * *

**And that's a wrap on chapter two! I'll be honest, this came out a week later than I wanted and ended up being significantly longer than I had intended. But hey, when the writing urge gets a hold of you, you just have to go with it. With that being said, grad school plus new job leaves little time for writing long chapters of major story. Ergo, I'm going to try and hold myself to an update schedule of once a month. If I can beat that, great! If not…well, I'm not going to be abandoning the story anytime soon so let's just leave it at that.**

**For those of you who were looking for a little more action or intrigue like in chapter one, don't worry, it will be back! But fluff, backstory, all that, very important. Had to get it in there and no better time than the present.**

**Quick review response:**

**Coloneloflynn: Glad you're hooked! I hope you liked this chapter as well!**

**Lord Cornwalis: Your interest and praise are deeply appreciated. I'll admit, wasn't sure how a non-magic AU would play out but I really want to see where I can take it so here goes nothing! And yes, every other story I read seems to have Manfred on a spectrum of useless toadie to outright evil minion and while I appreciate it, I wanted to give him a different angle, brief as it ended up being. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well and yes, the season 5 dream lives on!**

**Starco4everr: I certainly try and make it interesting. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**Thank you to everyone who's given this tale a look over! Any thoughts or comments or suggestions for improvement, the reviews and my inbox remain open. And until next time, stay classy.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So just a quick heads up for continuity sake, this chapter will take place at the same time as chapter 2, just with eyes on different characters. Overall, this story should proceed in a linear side by side fashion, but I'll be sure to throw a quick note up here every time it deviates. So, without further ado, let's get started.**

**Chapter 3: Political Machinations**

* * *

Toffee sat alone in the privy council chamber behind the throne room, the temporary solitude allowing him to slip off his calm mask for a moment and release the rage still festering inside of him coupled with the exhaustion of a sleepless night. Manfred's mocking words about the emptyheaded fool of a princess had only grown louder as Rasticore reported that the two men who'd been dispatched after the princess were nowhere to be found. Toffee had backhanded the man for his failure, a light punishment all things considered but he knew that Rasticore was still a useful tool and wise men did not discard useful things. But still, his rage had needed an outlet and there was the maid who he'd left in his chambers. The bruises would heal in time, although the broken arm would take considerably longer. She should consider herself lucky Toffee hadn't killed her, and he'd made sure to remind her that her life was in his hands. That was the fate of all weak things, to serve the strong, it was the natural order.

Still… Toffee was not invincible, not all-powerful, at least not yet. For now, he still needed the support of other simpering fools whose only ambition seemed to be getting as rich and fat as possible. Unfortunately, they also had the gold and armies needed to solidify his rule, and today they would have questions for him. The tolling bells throughout the castle last night had let everyone know that the queen had died and now with the morning they would all know that the princess was missing as well. Mewni was now temporarily without leadership, and chaos tended to fill gaps in power. But for Toffee, chaos was a ladder, one that he could climb if he was careful about where he placed his feet. He'd spent most of the pre-dawn thinking and discarding stories of what to tell the other members of the council, until he finally settled on one, he thought he could sell. Given their collective brainpower it shouldn't be too difficult. Although there was one other member who might…

The sound of creaking doors brought Toffee out of his thoughts, the mask of competent aloofness resettling over his features as he eyed his "peers." There was Lord Richard Falcon, though his propensity to spend rather significant sums on pies and other sweet things and the massive gut it had produced had led to others mockingly naming him Lord Pigeon behind his back. Lord Archibald Spidervenom, stricken with a pox as a boy that had left him with a series of unsightly red welts all over his face, and if the rumors were right over the rest of his body. Lord Wymar Kelpton, a reckless fool who spent the majority of his time back home swimming in the most dangerous ocean currents he could find. When he'd been a boy a wave had slammed him so hard into the rocks that he'd fallen into a coma for a month. Luckily for him, the next wave carried him onto the beach instead of drowning him. When he'd awoken, he'd believed he was a fish blessed by the universe to live on land and had supposedly taken salt water with every meal for a year after. Having sat through enough council meetings seeing him smack his lips in thirst, Toffee sometimes wondered if that was still the case. Then there was Lord Raymond Horseford, arguably the finest cavalry commander in the kingdom. He claimed it was from spending so much time with his mounts, Toffee thought all it made him do was constantly smell of horse shit. He had been a longtime friend of King River, made sense given both were headstrong idiots. It had been Horseford who had brought River's body back to the capital after he fell in battle, and he'd been nearly as broken. He'd lost a hand in the fighting and had five cracked ribs when he returned. Toffee was willing to grant him a modicum of respect for staying on his mount through the pain at least. Lastly came the only other council member Toffee even remotely considered a peer, and certainly a rival. Lord David Lucitor strolled into the room like he owned the place, brown hair styled immaculately and dressed in a deep blood red doublet made of silk. The gold and ruby necklace around his neck combined with it to demonstrate an extravagant level of wealth, which was the point of course. Where Toffee's power came from the battle-hardened warriors of Septarsis whose prowess was said to be unmatched in Mewni, if not the continent, then the Lucitor's power lay in their wealth. Their ancestors had settled on land that all others had deemed too poor for farming and the line seemed doomed to failure. Then one day, perhaps out of boredom, or madness, or any other of a thousand reasons, the young heir to the family had wandered into a cave nearby and found veins of gold and gems that seemed to stretch for miles. In fact, they did stretch for miles. Five centuries of constant digging hadn't even seemed to scratch the surface of it. The endless wealth had been used to buy better farmland, the men to work it, the soldiers to guard it, and the townsfolk for everything else. Recognized as the second most powerful family in Mewni besides the ruling Butterflies, the Lucitors had had a seat on the privy council since its inception, and the current Lord Lucitor had taken full advantage of that position.

During her reign, Lord Lucitor had been one of Moon's strongest advocates on the council, eager no doubt to forge an alliance with the ruling Butterflies. Much like Toffee, Lucitor had been summoned for his skill as an administrator, and so that Queen Moon could keep a close eye on one of her more ambitious nobles. She had ultimately been correct on both counts. Being the wealthiest family in Mewni meant the Lucitor's were privier than most to the state of the kingdoms finances thanks to their extensive trade networks and their…rather liberal policy of extending lines of credit to other noble families or town burgesses who might be in financial need. Understanding who was in debt to whom among the kingdom's elite did give the Queen and her council insight into the overall health of the economy, and though Toffee was loathe to give him any credit, the royal treasury had grown quite full during David's time on the Council. As for ambition…. The moment Lord David had felt secure enough in his power to begin lobbying the Queen directly, Toffee's spies among the castle staff began reporting that he was pressing Queen Moon for a betrothal between Princess Star and his son Thomas Lucitor. The two were the same age after all and politically it made perfect sense. Moon had seemed receptive to the idea while Toffee had been horrified by the notion. A successful courtship, and universe forbid, an heir, would have seen all his ambitions go up in smoke. He'd spent weeks laying the groundwork for various plans to scuttle the idea, gathering allies among high and low nobles alike, everything. As it turned out, he need not have worried.

Toffee was admittedly not quite sure what the details on the night involved, his spy network hadn't been as fully fleshed out back then, but evidently while the young Thomas was immediately taken with Star…or at least with the concept of being the future King of Mewni, she did not reciprocate his feelings. In fact, the night had gone so horribly that the Princess had threatened the young lord with physical violence if he ever came near her again and had stormed out of the room where the two had been having dinner in a rage. Needless to say, there was no second meeting and not long after the Lucitor heir had been sent back to the family's ancestral seat of Helvete as something of a laughingstock. Where most men might have seen failure beyond the point of recovery however, Lord Lucitor simply saw a temporary setback. He had continued lobbying Moon for her to intercede with her daughter and resume the courtship, redoubling his efforts when her illness progressed to the point where everyone with knowledge of it understood the Queen was not long for this world. However, much like Toffee's attempts at cajoling the now departed Queen into granting him regency over the young Princess, Moon had been adamant in her refusals. She had been determined to let her daughter have freedom, to let her make her own decisions about her manner of rule and whom she would marry. _A fucking stupid idea as any_, Toffee mused to himself. _The girl is a child with no experience in how to govern and couldn't even keep herself in check. Her mother should have told her whom she would be marrying, placed her under my guidance, and have been done with it. Just another example of why these Butterflies are utterly unfit to rule_. Now that Moon was gone, it was an open question what the Lucitors would do next. Surely even a man of David's ambition had to realize that the new Queen was wholly uninterested in having his son as her husband, so perhaps he would aim simply to keep his seat on the privy council and hope to gain a tighter grip on the kingdom's finances. Then again with Star out of the way….

Any further musings on Toffee's part were interrupted by the sounds of chair legs scraping against the stones on the floor as his fellow council members took their places around the ornate mahogany table. One chair at the head of the table was empty, however. Traditionally reserved for the monarch, it had sat vacant since Moon had become too ill to attend the council meetings. Today however it was covered in black satin, the traditional way to remind the monarch's councilors that their sovereign had passed. Under normal circumstances, tomorrow it would be replaced with white linen as a sign of purity and new beginnings, signaling the imminent assent of either the next king or queen. Of course, thanks to Toffee these were hardly normal circumstances. Now if he could just get his plan to work! Seeing everyone else seated and looking at him expectantly, Toffee started the meeting.

"Good morning my lords. As I'm sure you're all aware, the Queen's funeral will take place at sunset and there are still significant preparations left to complete so I'm afraid we only have the morning for affairs of state. Now, to begin, there have been increased sightings of pirates on the western shore and we have received a number of complaints from at least five merchant guilds so far asking that the royal navy step in and take direct action as the local lords are evidently not giving the situation enough attention. I have already taken the liberty of dispatching letters to Houses Duskstar and Springwine calling them to account for the situation, but I believe immediate action is also warranted. Therefore, I propose dispatching half a dozen galleys immediately to…"

"If you'll pardon me Lord Chancellor." Toffee turned at the interruption, entirely unsurprised that it was Lucitor who had spoken up.

"I assume you're interrupting me for a good reason my Lord; as I've already said, time is rather short today." The smile Toffee gave him never reached his eyes, his tone and demeanor downright reptilian in its coldness. The smugness of David's tone and the glint in his eyes reeked of self-confidence.

"I was just wondering if Princess Star would be joining us this morning?" If he'd been hoping to make Toffee crack with the surprise question, then he was going to be disappointed…mostly. Only the tiniest flinch of Toffee's cheek betrayed any emotion. _Of course he knows,_ Toffee seethed. _I'll have the guards find out whoever's reporting to him and make an example of them later._

He managed to keep the venom out of his voice as he tersely replied, "As I'm sure you understand my Lord, the Princess, by tradition, is not expected at council meetings for another two days, and is not even the formal head of the council until after her coronation. I fail to see the point of having her here today."

"Oh, on the contrary Lord Chancellor, I believe it's quite important that Princess Star begin attending these sorts of meetings as soon as possible. The kingdom needs steady leadership in these times and since Queen Moon elected not to select a regent for the Princess," Toffee bit back a growl at the obvious insult, "would it not make sense to have her begin learning about the processes of governing her kingdom right away?"

"She has a tutor for such things."

"I think my lord would agree that classroom instruction is no substitute for practical instruction."

Toffee had had enough of this. "I came here to address the needs of the country Lucitor, not to philosophize with you about the proper nature of the Princesses' responsibilities. We will hear no more of this." It was a contest of wills between the two men; Toffee trying to cow the man into submission, Lucitor trying to get him to slip up. While the other lords might think Toffee had the advantage from his superior title, David held the true trump card, and the glint in his eye left no doubt in Toffee's mind that he was going to use it.

"You seem so adamant about this Toffee. Almost as if you were…hiding something." That got everyone else's attention. Only Queen Moon had ever dared address the Lord of Septarsis by his first name in so casual a manner, and to question the man's honor was akin to taking one's life in their own hands. Lord Spidervenom suddenly found the conversation far more interesting that the window he'd been staring out of only moments earlier. Horseford had stopped fiddling with his beard, and Kelpton appeared to have woken up from his dozing, suddenly quite alert. The silence in the room might have dragged on indefinitely with Lord David awaiting an answer to his charge and Toffee unwilling to give one to him, until Lord Falcon of all people finally broached the subject.

"That's a rather serious charge you've just leveled against the Lord Chancellor my Lord Lucitor. Perhaps you would care to enlighten the rest of us?" The obese man had nothing to separate him from the common masses but his so-called noble honor, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that he would be the first to defend the institution, even if the insult had been directed at someone else.

Lord David stood slowly, palms resting flat on the table as if the gravity of what he was about to say was too great a burden to bear and he required the table's support. "My lords, I'm afraid I have in fact come to this meeting today with rather grave news. News that it seems our Lord Chancellor has seen unfit to share with the rest of you. I have it on good authority, from multiple sources within the castle in fact, that as of last night the Princess has been missing from the castle. She was not in her room this morning when the servants entered and evidently the chamber was in quite the state, as if it had been ransacked. I believe our beloved Princess Star has been taken, if not worse, and with my fellow council members present I would accuse him of conspiracy to hide this fact from us. Do you deny this charge Lord Chancellor?"

This was a moment Toffee had planned ahead for. He had Rasticore and a dozen men stationed outside the door ready to cut their way through to him if needed. It would create far more problems long-term than it solved immediately but at least Toffee would still be alive at the end of it. On the other hand, if he could pull off what he was about to attempt, then there would be no need for such violence. Resigning himself to his course of action, Toffee stood as well to match Lord Lucitor's stance. "Regretfully my lord, you are correct. The Princess was taken last night, and I am presently unaware of her whereabouts."

The room exploded into shouting upon his pronouncement, the other lords of the council hurling arguments, insults, and in Lord Horseford's case a chair, at one another as David looked on, self-satisfied smirk never leaving his face, eyes never leaving Toffee's. For his part, the Lord of Septarsis allowed the ruckus to go one for a minute or two, ensuring that no one was seeking to take his head at that moment, before drawing a dagger from his belt and slamming it point first into the table. The echoing thud catching everyone's attention and drawing all eyes back to the Lord Chancellor.

"Regretful as it may have been to deceive you my lords if you do not cease the pointless bickering, I won't have a chance to explain my actions and the Princess shall slip further from our grasp. Now all of you…sit…down." To Toffee's relief, the others slowly sank back into their seats, their tempers somewhat cooled though undoubtedly now directed towards him rather than each other. It would take someone with incredible daring and charisma to make it through something like this. Thankfully for him, Toffee had an abundance of both.

"Now then, as I was saying, Lord David is correct. Last night as the bells sounded in the castle to mark Queen Moon's passing, a servant came and informed me some men had been spotted attempting to break into the Princesses' chambers. I immediately sent some of my own guardsmen to secure the Princess and dispatch her would-be assailants. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived the Princess was gone. A short while later there was an altercation at the gate where Manfred, the Queen's personal servant, was discovered attempting to lead Star and her captors out of the castle disguised as a noble entourage who wished to return to the city in order to prepare for the Queen's funeral. There was an altercation when the guards discovered the truth and Manfred was successfully subdued. Unfortunately, the Princesses' captors escaped and the riders who were dispatched after them never returned. A farmer returned their horses at dawn this morning, saying he recognized the royal markings on the saddles. I have since dispatched a number of small teams to look for her and have every confidence Princess Star will soon be back here where she belongs and ready to ascend her throne."

The other lords of the privy council considered Toffee's information with a range of emotions. Kelpton and Spidervenom looked aghast, Falcon appeared to be deep in thought over the matter, Horseford looked absolutely furious, and Lucitor looked like he didn't believe a word of what Toffee had just said. Still, to have convinced most of the council that he was telling the truth was a good start. The most plausible explanations were often the most believable and this one was plausible because significant pieces of it were true.

Lord Archibald spoke up next, "You said the guards managed to subdue Manfred, what happened to him?"

Toffee continued int the calm, soothing tone he had relayed the story in thus far. "He was immediately taken to the dungeons where he was put under a rather intense interrogation, personally overseen by me. He revealed that he had been spying on the Queen for years in exchange for payment and had been promised a small fortune if he assisted in escorting the Princesses' kidnappers into the castle and then getting them out safely again."

Lord Richard cut in suddenly, still putting on the offended high honor act, "To think that such a vile character could have been by the Queen's side for so long, sitting in on her personal meetings and roaming about the castle doing goodness knows what! He should be put on trial immediately; the realm must know of his crimes!"

Toffee retook control of the conversation, "That won't be necessary Lord Richard. Given his confessions during the investigation I acted in the Queen's name and deemed the man guilty with sentence to be acted on immediately. As we speak, his body is likely being tossed in a pauper's grave, unadorned, unwashed, and bearing all the marks of his questioning and treason. A fitting end for a traitor, wouldn't you all agree?" To his satisfaction, Toffee saw most of the others grimace slightly at the thought, the previously puffed out Lord Richard looking positively green. Only Lord David remained impassive through Toffee's explanation, choosing only to comment, "You're quite right my Lord Chancellor, traitors do truly deserve the most ignoble of deaths." Toffee was about to round on the man for his again barely veiled threats when Lord Horseford erupted, unable to contain his rage any longer.

"And yet despite knowing all of this you still chose to keep it a secret Lord Toffee?! We could have dispatched our own men immediately if we had been informed, Star would likely be back here and safe by now! Instead she's universe knows where for whatever fucking purpose those bastards have for her! I swear right now if even one hair on her head is harmed by the time this is all over, I will rip your head from your spine myself Septarian!"

Toffee fixed the man with a cold look, "Given the severity of the situation and the fact that you were such a close friend of King River's I will let that threat of violence against me slide this one time Lord Raymond, and only this one time. Am I making myself clear?"

The threat did nothing to cow the giant of a man however who continued to bellow, "To hell with your threats Septarian! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't ride back to Cloud's Peak right now, rally my banners, and tear this country apart until we find Star!"

"I'd be happy to," Toffee said, his tone having gone from soothing to cold and now on to patronizing. "But first, I really must insist you sit down and get that insufferable temper of yours under control. You are a lord of the Privy Council, not some whining child throwing a tantrum, I suggest you begin acting like it." Grumbling about it, Lord Raymond did at least have the sense to sit down. "And that, my lords, is precisely why I did not inform you about the present situation. It was not for some nefarious plot as Lord David has now insinuated…twice." The pointed accusation simply caused the Lucitor to shrug his shoulders, he wasn't the one in trouble here after all. "Rather, it was to prevent the very panic we have nearly seen escape this room on multiple occasions this morning."

Confusion blossomed on some of the faces sitting round the table. Lord Kelpton spoke up for the first time all morning. "I'm afraid I do not understand what you're implying Lord Chancellor. If perhaps you could explain?"

Toffee took up a lecturing attitude. "My lords, our Queen is dead. Right now, the news is limited to word of mouth spreading out from the capitol, and it shall be sent to all the major and minor lords and free cities and town mayors after the funeral tonight, as is tradition. Imagine for a moment that I had informed all of you last night that the Princess had been abducted, and, much like Lord Raymond here, each of you either raced off back to your strongholds or sent couriers to call your banners and track down Princess Star. How long do you think it would take before the entire country knew what had happened? Soldiers would be everywhere asking questions about the Princess and before you know it, we would have a population knowing only that their monarch was dead and the heir was missing. Can you all imagine what sort of chaos that would cause? The panic as Mewni realized it had no ruler? For all we know, this is exactly what Star's assailants wanted. Perhaps they are working from one of our neighbors, hoping to sow discord before an invasion. Perhaps they are working for a lord who would see such anarchy as an opportunity, rather than the tragedy it is." Lord Lucitor raised an eyebrow at that one but Toffee pointedly ignored him. "Surely you can all see the wisdom in conducting a small, discrete search instead. The fewer people who know about this situation the better. A kingdom without a ruler is a ripe place for insurrection, conquest, or civil war. I have served as Lord Chancellor for over 15 years and I will not see the realm slide into such chaos, not as long as I have breath in my body to prevent it."

It was, in Toffee's opinion, one of the better acts he had put on. Even better though was that the other lords, if not particularly enthusiastic about his explanation, at least seemed willing to accept it. All, of course, save Lord David, but Toffee had been expecting him to be the least accommodating among them. After all, he had the most to lose by far if Star was not found safely and quickly. That is if his plan was ultimately still to see the young Princess married off to his son. He would have to work on teasing that out of course. First though…

"Pardon me my Lord Chancellor but if I might point something out?" Spidervenom again.

"Yes, Lord Archibald?" Toffee sighed.

The man seemed to hesitate pointing something out that Toffee seemed to have failed to consider but after a moment he gathered himself. "If, as you said, we are to avoid a panic, then what are we going to do when the Princess fails to appear for the funeral this evening, or when there is no coronation and she doesn't begin to take petitioners in the throne room? The people will surely notice the absence of a Queen on the throne by then and we will be in the exact situation you claim to be seeking to avoid."

Toffee was almost impressed. It was actually a coherent and well-put observation, by far the smartest thing he'd ever heard out of the man. It might have even caught an unprepared man off guard, but Toffee had had far more time to think about this than any of them and had already worked out a solution.

"You are correct my lord, it would cause a problem. Fortunately, I believe I have a solution, and I will require all your assistance in executing it. As you go about your business today, I want you to make it known that the Princess has been inconsolable about the death of her mother. Say it loudly and say it often. Before the funeral, we will put out an official statement that the Princess in her grief is unable to bear the burden of attending her mother's funeral in person and has instead chosen to mourn in isolation. The people will believe it, after all she is a young girl who has now lost both of her parents. From there, we will say that the Princess has elected to mourn in solitude for…. let's say 60 days…. At a private location outside the capital. Upon her return, she will have her coronation and take up her throne. Until that time, the Privy Council shall take responsibility for running the daily matters of the kingdom, including hearing petitions, settling disputes, and all the rest. Most will accept this decision without question, we have been taking petitions and handling much of the kingdom's governance since Queen Moon's illness progressed. As for the rest, they will learn to accept it or face the crown's justice. By the time those 2 months are up, and hopefully long before, Princess Star will be rescued, and we will put this nasty business behind us. Do I have your acquiescence in this, from all of you? If we do not present a united front to the people in these troubled times, I worry what might happen to the realm."

Spidervenom, Kelpton, and Falcon all agreed immediately, in fact they seemed damn near relieved to have the situation taken out of their hands. Not that Toffee could necessarily blame them. Commoner or noble, most men were ultimately little more than sheep, constantly bleating and seeking someone else to lead them, to command them, a task Toffee was all too happy to take up. Horseford also eventually gave a reluctant nod, thought Toffee suspected it had less to do with opposition to his plan per say than a knee-jerk reaction desire to set out and find the princess himself. _He's going to have to be reined in, so he doesn't spoil anything. Maybe some occasional reports in private or even letting him join a search party for a while would placate him enough, I'll have to look into it. That just leaves…_ Lord Lucitor was the only member of the group who looked adamantly opposed to Toffee's plan, and the Lord Chancellor could guess why. If you accepted everything Toffee had said today at face value, his plan seemed perfectly reasonable and well-thought out. The problem was Lord David didn't trust him. That was fine, for now. Trust…or at least some modicum of it, could always come later. What Toffee needed right now was his agreement, and obedience. Looking around, Lord David realized he was outnumbered in this case and, finally, begrudgingly nodded his assent.

Toffee kept an impassive face on but beneath the façade lay a wicked smile. He had successfully cleared the first major hurdle on the road to power, had climbed the first rung on the ladder of chaos. He would still need to find the girl of course, but for the moment he was alive and that was enough. Every day that he drew breath was another day for him to succeed, and he would not let the opportunity pass him. Returning to the guise of the charismatic leader of the council he took the agreement with humility and grace. "Thank you, my lords. I truly believe that together we will see the realm through this difficult hour. Now, as we had been discussing previously, the issue with these pirates. Lord Kelpton, I wonder if we might draw on your expertise in this matter, if you'll examine this map…."

* * *

The rest of the council meeting proceeded smoothly. Issues concerning the Princess aside, Mewni had been fairly stable under Queen Moon and the Privy Council was at the very least capable of handling small matters such as pirates or a dispute between lords over this land boundary or that contract. Small-minded things for small men; it was why Toffee aspired to so much more. He was back in his study enjoying a brief moment of solitude to bask in his success today when a timid knock that could only come from a servant interrupted his respite. With a resigned sigh Toffee quickly shot off that the man might enter. A balding old man thin as a reed managed to work up the courage to bring himself halfway into the room to inform him that Rasticore was waiting in the antechamber and asking if he would like to be sent in. Toffee only nodded, not deigning to give the man a verbal response, eyes locked onto him the entire time and a brief smirk crossing his face at seeing the man nearly piss himself for having done even this much. Fear, Toffee had discovered over the course of his life, was an even better tool than manipulation. Manipulating someone required the effort of communicating with them, understanding them, playing on their worries or desires or some combination of the two. Fear, however, was far simpler, no groundwork necessary as the servant had just so helpfully proved. Further musings about such philosophical things however were cut off when Rasticore entered the room and knelt before his lord. Toffee could see the bruise on the left-side of his face where he'd struck him for his previous failures was healing but still very much present. Good; it ought to serve as a reminder to the man that failure in Toffee's service was not an option, no matter how useful a tool someone might be otherwise.

"You may rise my faithful captain," said Toffee, gesturing an upward motion with his fingers low enough for Rasticore's downcast eyes to see. Reaching into one of the drawers on his desk, Toffee withdrew a small wooden box. "I appreciate your restraint from entering the council chamber this morning, even at the height of the shouting. It would have made the situation more difficult if I'd had a dozen armed men rush into the room with no one trying to kill me. The other lords might find such behavior…. unbecoming, let's say," he ended with a small chuckle.

"I trusted that if you were in any true danger my lord that you would have found a way to signal me."

Toffee smiled at that. He was smart enough to recognize that he was a vain man and that vanity loved flattery. Luckily for him, he was usually able to control himself. And luckily for Rasticore, the man had learned well how to massage his lord's ego during his years of service. Pulling a squat, brown looking cylinder out of the box along with a thin pair of scissors, Toffee continued on with the conversation. "Tell me, do you think you could defeat Lord Raymond if it came to it? If my life was in danger?"

Rasticore seemed to hesitate for just a moment, "Do you truly believe it will come to that my lord?"

Toffee had now cut off one small end of the cylinder and lit the end on fire using a candle on his desk. Puffing on it a couple of times and inhaling the earthy, rich smoke, he allowed the question to hang in the air between them. He exhaled, and a small cloud hung around his head. "It may at some point. The man is far too attached to the memory of that oafish King River, and somehow, I don't believe he would take too kindly to my regency, princess in hand or otherwise. And I notice you didn't answer my question. You're not… afraid…. of Lord Raymond, are you Rasticore?"

The man scowled at that, eyebrow and skin scrunching around the gem set in his eye in a grotesque fashion. "I fear no man save you my lord. If you asked me to kill Lord Raymond, I would do it without hesitation and would either succeed or die trying."

Toffee nodded, that was the answer he'd wanted to hear. He took another long puff on the…cigar he believed it was called. It was made by curing the leaves of some exotic plant before drying and rolling them. Evidently it was quite popular among the nobility in some of the neighboring kingdoms as a status symbol given their cost. They could only be grown in tropical climates on continents far from Mewni that most people had never heard of. Toffee appreciated the power and status he could cultivate simply by having a box of them lying around and casually indulging one for no reason. And, admittedly, they went rather well with the equally outrageously priced alcohol he kept in his quarters.

"I've bought you time, 60 days of it to be precise. The other lords think the search has been underway since this morning. You will send out teams from among our men here and then ride for home. When you reach Septarsis, send out additional search parties and pick the best men for yourself. I want the royal brat found quickly Rasticore, am I clear?"

Rasticore bowed low and deep, "Of course my lord, I will leave without delay."

Toffee regarded him for a moment. Rasticore was still in his bow and would not rise until given permission to leave Toffee's presence. "You also understand, I'm sure, that the price of another failure will be far worse than what you received previously, yes?"

Rasticore hesitated for a moment before replying and Toffee could sense the restrained anger in his tone, "Yes…. My lord." It was deferential enough, but only just. That was fine for now. Let anger be the man's motivation to succeed along with the fear of failure. So long as it didn't bleed over into insubordination Toffee was happy to stoke the fires of rage bubbling just beneath the service. A good tradesman needed to understand his tools after all, Toffee just happened to be working with people rather than hammers. He turned around from the man and went back to considering the view of the city out the window in his study.

"You may leave now, you have a long ride ahead of you." As Rasticore rose to leave however a thought suddenly occurred to Toffee. It was probably overly cautious and it might spook the other lords but he was sure he could explain it away under the guise of troubled times. "One more thing Rasticore."

"My lord?"

"When you arrive at Septarsis, rally a small force and have them march for the capital. Five-hundred knights and 2,000 men at-arms should do the trick. I would hate for any of the other lords at court to think of taking advantage of the situation with the Princess missing. The men should help remind them of who the real power in Sperana is." Rasticore didn't bother with a verbal reply this time, just another deep bow before turning on his heel and walking out of the chamber. Toffee took another long puff of the cigar. _Yes,_ he quietly mused to himself. _It certainly has been a good day after all._

* * *

Elsewhere in the castle, Lord David Lucitor walked briskly down the halls towards the suite of rooms he had been given, other members of his entourage being granted private quarters in the adjoining rooms. It was one of these rather than his own chambers the powerful noble found himself entering. Like many other guest rooms for visiting nobles in the castle, it was well-maintained and excellently furnished, if a little on the small side. Then again, perhaps that was just him. Helvete had been built by his ancestors to inspire both awe in its grandeur and terror in the prospect of assaulting it. Butterfly Castle's soaring grandeur was undeniable, though slightly more muted, as if to inspire comfort in its power to those who gazed upon it, rather than terror. Not that Lord David had much time to debate architectural aesthetics at the moment, there were far bigger problems to deal with after all; one of them rising off the bed in front of him.

"You're finally back; took long enough. Honestly, how long can a bunch of men just sit in a room and talk? It just sounds so boring."

David frowned at the young man. "I thought you were working on that attitude of yours Thomas. That is no way to speak to your father, nor address your lord."

Scowling but cowed, the young man bowed respectfully. "Welcome back from your meeting father, I trust everything went well with the council today?"

David nodded, satisfied. "Much better. You must remember son that this is not our home. You are not lord of all you see and can ill afford to make enemies here with that flippant attitude of yours, or your temper. Cultivating allies and recruiting underlings is the key to success in politics." Tom opened his mouth to speak but his father forestalled him. "And bribery will not always be an option, especially not when dealing with other high lords." Tom sat back down on the bed, looking bored and uninterested and David wondered whether the lesson had managed to get through his son's thick skull. If previous experiences were anything to go by, the answer was probably no. He regarded his son, he had the typical broad shoulders of a Lucitor, though the flaming red hair and deep amethyst purple eyes came from his mother, a foreigner from a kingdom far to the east. Combined with a recent growth spurt and Thomas Lucitor, heir and future Lord Lucitor admittedly cut quite the figure, and he knew it. Despite his father's constant admonitions to act with discretion and a certain degree of humility when the situation called for it, Tom couldn't resist charming girls common and noble into his bed, picking fights with his hair-trigger temper, or acting as though the world belonged to him just because he was the heir of the richest family in Mewni.

Most of the time, his title and the occasional bribe got Tom out of trouble, but there had been some situations where his actions had cost him, and the family, greatly. The worst example in recent memory of course had been two years ago when his absolutely abysmal behavior at dinner that had seemingly scuttled any chance of a successful courtship between himself and Princess Star and left Lord David groveling to get back in Queen Moon's good graces for months. Years of building influence at court, gaining the trust and confidence of Queen Moon by providing her with sensitive information and advocating for her position on controversial issues among her counselors, then months more of trying to convince her to at least entertain the idea of a courtship between Star and Tom, and his son had sent all his hard work up in flame in the course of one evening. Lord David had been furious and sent his son back home at once. After he returned to Helvete some weeks later he immediately cut Tom off from the family's funds, had forbid him from leaving the castle, had promised to hang the next girl he found in his bed, and had gotten him a…counselor, of sorts, to handle his son's anger issues. Overall, Tom's behavior was much improved, though his temper still had a tendency to flare up at certain inopportune moments and there were times where he failed to show the proper level of respect, the present situation being an excellent example.

Tom interrupted his father's thoughts with a question, "So, when can I go and see Starship? I think she'll be impressed by the new and improved Thomas Demonius Lucitor. Maybe a late dinner after the funeral, or a night of dancing? Something to take her mind off her mother and let us get reacquainted."

Lord David pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. _Evidently no amount of coaching can teach Tom that it's a bad idea to go courting women immediately after their mother's funeral!_ If there was one silver lining to the whole situation, it was that, for now at least, Tom wouldn't have the chance to ruin his plans a second time. "I'm afraid you won't be seeing the Princess this evening Tom. In fact, I came to tell you to begin packing your things, you're to return home immediately."

An enraged Tom shot to his feet, fists tightly clenched and jaw locked. "What?! The entire point of having me come here, disguised as a lowly guard no less! Was so that I could go back to courting Star before any of those other greedy bastards got their hands on her! And now you want to send me back home just like that! I don't know what the fuck you're thinking but I am not…." Tom was silenced by a backhand from his father that sent him reeling. He was up again in an instant, instincts screaming at him to take the challenge head on, but the dark look in his father's eyes reminded him just who he would be challenging, and why any such confrontation would end very, very poorly for him.

Lord David spoke in a tense voice, attempting to keep his own anger at the boy's insolence in check. "First of all, you cannot 'go back to courting Star'" he spat mockingly, "since thanks to your behavior you couldn't manage to get through one dinner." Tom's quiet retort that she just needed to give him a chance was ignored. "Secondly, you don't need to know what I'm thinking, why I've made this decision, or anything else. The only things you need to know and do are what I've told you. A small entourage of the guard WILL return home tonight and you WILL be among them and in disguise." Seeing his son's hurt and confused look, David relented ever so slightly, "I can at least tell you that you're not being punished for anything. I'm sending you home because the political situation surrounding the Princess has changed very suddenly and it's no longer advantageous to have you here. You will return home and act as Lord of Helvete in my stead until I return."

Tom shrugged resignedly, somewhat mollified that at least his father wasn't blaming him for screwing something up…again. Being acting lord wasn't a big deal either, Tom had done it all the time when his father was here in the capital for council meetings or away on other business. "Alright, alright fine. So, when can I expect you back? A few days, a fortnight maybe?"

"Two months, Thomas."

Tom's eyes went wide. "Two months!" he repeated. His father was never away from Helvete for that long. "Father you've never left me as acting lord for that long. I'm not ready for that!"

The sympathy David might have had for his son returned to coldness at the sound of the boy complaining about his responsibilities. "You came here with the intention to court Princess Star, which would have made you royal consort and King of Mewni and all that comes with it, yet you're wilting at the thought of being the ruler of your own home and lands for two short months? Perhaps I badly underestimated your maturity Thomas. Perhaps you are not yet ready to try to court the Princess again."

Tom was immediately pleading, "No! No! I can handle it! Definitely ready to be king, definitely capable of taking care of home for a couple months. I'm just….surprised is all. Yeah, surprised. You haven't trusted me with something this big before."

"Consider it a hands-on lesson in what it means to be a lord then. Always be ready to adapt to the unexpected, and accomplish the task in front of you with all your ability and whatever means you have at your disposal." With that, Lord David turned and began walking towards the door. "I am trusting you on this Thomas." He looked back over his shoulder briefly, dark brown eyes meeting purple ones, "Do not disappoint me." With that, he opened the chamber door and left his son, heading towards his own chambers. He would have just enough time to bathe and prepare for the funeral at sundown if he was lucky, and he usually was.

* * *

The funeral for Queen Moon Butterfly was at once lavish and somber. Night had fallen on the capital and the twin moons shown brilliantly in the sky as if honoring the queen who bored their name. A massive pyre had been constructed in the city's central plaza for the ceremony. Cremation had been tradition among Mewni's monarchs for centuries. It was said that allowed their bodies to become ash and spread throughout the realm would allow them to guard and protect the kingdom in death as they had in life.

The procession started from Butterfly Castle and headed down into the city below. Normally the heir to the throne would have been at the head to signify the change in leadership but instead a set of lute players, drummers, and chanters wove a steady and sad song. Few were taken by surprise at this break in tradition, the Privy Council had done its work well in spreading the rumor that Princess Star had chosen to mourn in isolation, too overcome by grief at the loss of her second parent to take part in the public ceremony. Then came the Queen's body. It rested on the back of a wagon covered by a black shroud with a silver moon nestled in a field of stars stitched on it and pulled by a team of four horses, also dressed in black livery. Then came the mourners. At the head were the members of the Privy Council led by Toffee, then the other lords and ladies of the court, the nobility who's holdings were either within a day's ride of the capital or who happened to be in the city when the queen had died, then the leading merchants and citizens of the town, and finally the castle staff who were expected to bid one final farewell to the monarch they had served so faithfully all these years. The entire snaking column was flanked by a row of pikemen on each side with more soldiers guarding the procession route to keep the crowds at bay, not that they could have if there'd been a concerted push. It seemed as if the entire city had turned out to bid farewell to their Monarch of nearly 30 years. The procession route was packed to bursting, as was the square with the funeral pyre, any balcony with a half decent view of the procession, and even some of the rooftops. If one was standing in Butterfly Castle and looking down over the city, it would also look as if a river of fire was flowing down towards the square. Each member of the funeral procession was carrying a lit torch while regular citizens held lit candles aloft. Much like cremation, the origins of the tradition tied in with guiding the spirit of their dead monarch on her journey.

The march through the city was slow going, but at last the queen's body was borne to the top of the pyre. A man then rose to a nearby dais and began to speak about the life of Queen Moon and imploring the universe to guide her spirit to every corner of the kingdom that she might join the kings and queens of the past in protecting the land and its people. The man wasn't a priest per say; unlike many other kingdoms Mewni did not have an organized religion and allowed its subjects to worship, or not worship, however they so chose, so long as that worship impeded the functioning of the kingdom or any of its subjects. Even still, a sort of ancestor worship mixed in with a sentient universe existed among much of the populace, common and noble alike. The belief went that the universe had brought life forward into the world, that it guided and protected that life, and that when death came, as it did for all things, the souls of the departed became a part of that guiding hand. Toffee had been taught the lessons as a young boy and had seen them then as he saw them now, boring superstitions bred among the peasants and more gullible of the nobility who feared death more than they were willing to embrace life. Still, he was willing to acknowledge that some traditions had to be observed to keep the population content if nothing else, and so Queen Moon had been given the grand, traditional, and boring funeral that the people expected. When at last the sermon giver had taken a torch and lit the pyre, it had gone up in a sudden and violent whoosh as the oil-soaked wood caught immediately, Toffee had been relieved that the experience was over.

* * *

It was well after midnight by the time Toffee returned to his chambers, he still had a couple of reports that he wanted to examine that couldn't wait until morning and so he was seated behind his desk working by lantern light when the same balding servant from this afternoon again risked the Lord Chancellor's ire by informing him he had a caller. He'd openly asked who on earth could possibly need to speak with him at this hour and was fairly surprised to hear that Lord Lucitor was coming to call on him. _Now this should be interesting,_ he thought to himself. He removed a glass decanter of fine alcohol and set it on the table and motioned for the servant to allow the man entry to his office.

Lord David entered Toffee's office looking formal as ever, having traded out his black funeral attire for a deep red doublet and still covered in the signs of his wealth. It would have smacked of desperation and a cry for attention on other men, but of course the Lucitors could back up their displays. He stopped about three quarters away from the desk Toffee was seated behind, features illuminated slightly be the lantern light and the moons now tracking their descent towards the eastern horizon. Giving a deep bow he said, "Thank you Lord Chancellor for agreeing to see me so late in the evening."

Toffee nodded his head in greeting though did not rise and bow in return, a subtle reminder of their difference in rank and a silent expression of the man's displeasure at being interrupted at such an hour. He motioned for the man to sit and without asking began to pour two glasses of liquor from the decanter, sliding one over to where his fellow council member sat and restopping the crystal vessel before responding. "I'm assuming you have a good reason for calling on me so late Lord David."

Lord David gave an easy smile, taking a healthy sip of the proffered drink, "Oh not much of any reason really. I just wanted to congratulate you, I imagine its every Lord Chancellor's dream to successfully plan and execute their monarch's funeral. Almost like a final order, no?"

Toffee scowled, not in the mood for games. "Well I suppose you wouldn't know my lord, having never been Lord Chancellor yourself." He let a small smirk come to his face seeing Lucitor unable to hid his scowl at that; so, it was possible to get under the man's skin after all, if you knew where to prod. "Still, I can't imagine that such heartfelt congratulations couldn't have waited until morning. Would you care to enlighten me about what you're really here for?"

The man leaned back in his chair as if giving great consideration to his response, occasionally sipping on his drink. "I also wanted to congratulate you on your performance this morning. I imagine most actors in the kingdom could learn a thing or two from you about faking concern."

Toffee snorted derisively, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I am as concerned as any of the other members of the council over the return of our beloved princess."

Now it was David's turn to snort. "Oh, I'm sure you are Lord Chancellor. I'm just not quite sure if the reason you're concerned matches up with the rest of us." Toffee had nothing to say to that, and the silence between the two men stretched on for several minutes before David tried a different tactic. "Let us suppose, hypothetically, that the Princess is successfully found and returned here in the next 60 days. She will still be young, inexperienced, and unwed. I imagine to many of our rivals it will seem like the perfect opportunity to attack. No doubt steps would have to be taken to stabilize the kingdom quickly. New alliances would doubtless have to be forged, and we both know that the strongest such alliances are ones made through…marriage."

Toffee allowed himself a smile. So that was the man's game. _I'm almost a little disappointed at how direct this is, I expected something more subtle from him. Perhaps that gambit today trying to get the council to turn on me really was all the leverage he had, how anticlimactic._ "And I suppose, that as a dutiful member of the Privy Council that you have already thought of some suitable candidates?"

"Oh, several. Though I must admit, some of them are on the…younger side. They'll be just as inexperienced as the Princess in matters of diplomacy, war, governance. I do believe Princess Star will need a guiding hand in the early years of her rule. Someone to teach her the way of the world and help protect the throne. Now, as Lord Chancellor I'm sure you could think of a number of worthy candidates who might act as a suitable regent, correct?"

Toffee took a long drink before responding. "I may have given it some consideration. Though, as you said, we are merely discussing hypotheticals here. You and I both know that only the acting monarch can appoint a regent, and given the Princesses' somewhat, shall we say willful, behavior, I doubt that she would agree to such a measure easily.

Lord David acknowledged the concern, "Oh undoubtedly. However, if she were presented the idea from her council, and of course if the appropriate conversations were had with her future consort, I'm sure she could be made to see the wisdom of such a decision. And of course, House Lucitor would give its full backing to such a proposal…. for the good of the kingdom of course."

"In this hypothetical world you seem to have spun up from thin air and one strong drink?"

"Of course, Lord Chancellor, purely hypothetical." Lord David made to rise. "My, look at the hour. I do hope you'll forgive me for keeping you so late. I imagine strong drink and wagging tongues between colleagues have kept many conversations going well past their appointed time. Still, I am so very pleased I was able to speak with you this evening." Still standing, he raised his glass, one last gulp still sitting at the bottom. "A toast, to Queen Star. Long may she reign." He then drained the glass and placed it back on the desk.

Toffee raised his own glass in turn, "Long may she reign," he said before draining his in turn.

As Lord David strolled out of the room and Toffee rose from his desk, they both had the same two thoughts go through their heads at the exact same time. First that that conversation had been far easier, and far more productive, than it had any right to be. And second, that neither man trusted his colleague and counterpart, not by a long shot. Then again, what reason had there been to lie? The conversation after all had been purely….hypothetical.

* * *

**A/N: And that's a wrap on chapter 3! Wow was this a long time coming. I know at the end of chapter 2 I promised an update about once a month… and then promptly blew straight threw my February deadline, and then almost blew through my March deadline. Life got in the way big time and I honestly didn't have enough time to do anything, let alone write. Fortunately, things have slowed down a little and I expect a fairly quick turnaround for chapter 4 so be on the lookout for that before the middle of April. I want to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has favorited/followed either my profile or this story. It warms my heart immeasurably to know that you're finding enjoyment in my writing and I promise to keep with it, writing delays or not. And hey, if you like my writing style but maybe aren't a fan of this story in particular or longer stories more generally, feel free to check out my "Across the Star(s)" fic which is a collection of one and two shots that I add to from time to time. I also take requests within reason, i.e. K – T and that make sense, so feel free to message me if you have one of those. A special shoutout to those who left a review for chapter 2:**

**Lord Cornwallis: I'm really glad you're still loving the story! Our conversations about our works and everything else have been entertaining and I can't thank you enough for helping me punch through some of the writer's block that was weighing me down a few weeks back. Looking forward to the next chapters for Once and Future Queen and In the Pales Starlight.**

**RJWritingInk: We talked briefly privately but wanted to thank you again for the enthusiastic reviews! I'm guessing this might not be as ASAP as you were looking for but I hope you enjoy this chapter nonetheless! Oh and since you mentioned your blog I decided to take a look at it and I have to say, talk about meeting a kindred spirit. Found your review of the sun and stars trilogy by blackwolfwrites in particular to be very well done. It's one of my favorite SVTFOE fics on the site and I'm glad you've given it some additional exposure.**

**And that's going to do it for me. As always, reviews, favorites, and follows are more than welcome and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. I'm still trying to find my footing as a writer so if you have a burning suggestion for this story or advice on how to make it better, I'm all ears. Until next time everyone! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey all you wonderful readers and Star vs. fanatics out there. I'm back with another chapter hot off the laptop keyboard. This time we're turning back to everyone's favorite couple, so sit back and enjoy the ride!**

**Chapter 4: The First Town**

* * *

Star yawned loudly from her seat beside Marco, breaking up the otherwise peaceful morning background noise of singing birds, chirping insects, and the wheels of their wagon traveling along the rough dirt road. "Marcooooooo, why did you make us get up so early this morning again?" For Star, it was near sacrilegious to get out of bed before noon. Afternoons and evenings were the time to get things done in Star Butterfly's book, and nights were for strong drinking and hearing fantastic tales of far off places and daring adventures! In fact, the only times Star could ever be dragged out of bed early were when her mother sent some of the castle's servants after her to prepare for one royal function or another. Thinking of her mother brought a sudden surge of pain to Star's chest. Even two days later and with her life completely turned upside down - she was traveling in disguise with Marco on a wagon for goodness' sake! - It still seemed unreal that her mother could be gone. She was only pulled from her inner reflection when Marco began to talk.

"It's like I told you when you asked me this morning Star." She was happy he had stopped referring to her as Princess all the time; it seemed like he was really taking her confessions from the other night seriously. "We had to get moving early so that we'd get to town when the trading houses opened up. Besides, it's not like we left that early."

"Marco the sun had just come up!" The young merchant chuckled at that, leaving Star annoyed. She reared back and punched him in the arm.

"Ow! Jeez Star what was that for?"

"For laughing at me!" She said in a huff.

Marco ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "I wasn't laughing at you Star. It's just what you said about the sun having just come up, it reminded me of my master is all. He used to wake us up even before the sun came up all the time and whenever I would complain about it, he'd say that if I wanted to be a great merchant I'd have to be up and moving before everyone and everything, even the sun. Then he'd say something like," Marco did his impression of a grouchy old man, "time is money and good merchants never waste either!"

Star let the phrase roll around in her head for a bit. "Time is money? What's that mean? Isn't time well… time?"

Marco chuckled again; thankfully Star either understood that the laughter wasn't directed at her this time or had at least decided to spare him. "It's a common saying among merchants. It means that you should never waste time because you could always be using it to try and make money; get to the market before everyone else, corner a new trade deal before the competition, that sort of thing. Personally, I think it's something a lot of the older peddlers say just so they have one more thing about their apprentices to complain about." He made an overly exaggerated point of rubbing his arm where Star had punched him. "Or to beat us."

Now it was Star's turn to laugh at Marco's antics. He was surprisingly good at cheering her up! "Merchants sure do seem weird."

Marco shrugged, "Not to me, then again I've been around them a long while. Between you and me," he leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "I think princesses' are the weird ones." He let out a booming laugh at the expression of disbelief on Star's face before shifting all the way over to the other end of the wagon's bench in a futile attempt to avoid the enraged blond. There was only so much room after all unless he wanted to flee into the wagon bed or jump off. Star got a few good ones in and although they hurt a bit through the tears forming from the laughter Marco could make out the twinkle in Star's eyes, she was having fun with this too. "Alright, alright Star I give, have mercy!" Both of them were now laughing hard as they came back together. "There," Marco indicated as if this had all been part of a plan, "you seem plenty awake now." Star rolled her eyes as if to warn Marco not to push his luck before relaxing back on the wagon seat.

"So where are we headed anyways Marco?"

The young merchant kept his eyes on the road but took one hand off the reigns and gestured generally towards the wagon bed. "If you grab your tutoring book, I can show you on the map." Moments later Star had the rather hefty tome, a previously unknown gift from her tutor Glossaryck, opened on her lap to the back where a copy of the beautiful and intricately detailed map that had hung in her lesson room now occupied one of the pages. She slid up next to him until their thighs barely touched so that he could point things out to her without having to relinquish the reigns or lean halfway across the wagon bench. A small part of Star recognized how nice it felt to be this close to Marco, even though they had just met. There was a certain warmth and trust that seemed to radiate from him that Star enjoyed. The much louder thought running through her head however was excitement. Her first real town outside of Sperana! She wondered how far they'd traveled already.

Marco first pointed to a small drawing of a castle nestled among a village and surrounded by a wall. There were many such pictures on the map, but only this one had a small star above it. If Star squinted and managed to focus among the slight jostling of the wagon, she could barely make out the name Sperana next to it. "So, this is the capital where we started," Marco began, "and then this," he gestured to a small square that startled a river, "is where we're headed. The port town of Tresting. It sits along the Baxtorian River which runs all the way to the sea." Marco made a point of dragging his finger along the meandering river in question until it reached the coastline that formed Mewni's western border. "It's a very important stop for traders from all over the kingdom," he added as a helpful afterthought. Star couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, it barely looked like Marco had moved his finger at all between the two! Perhaps sensing the girl's disappointment, the young merchant tried a different track. "I know it might not look like much here on the map but by the time we get there we'll have gone almost 14 leagues already! And look here." Star's eyes were again drawn to the map as Marco now pointed to the rising peaks which covered the top part of the map with the neatly written name of _The Musty Mountains_ labeled above them. "That," Marco tapped his finger on the area again for emphasis, "is where we're headed." He gestured to the broad expanse between Tresting and the mountain range; it ran nearly the whole length of the kingdom. Star couldn't help but smile at Marco's reassurance; they were just getting started and she couldn't wait to take everything in!

"So, what're we going to do once we get to Tresting? Maybe duel some street burglars? Or steal from a greedy noble? Oh, are you going to seduce a bar maid?!" Star couldn't help but laugh at how Marco turned a bright tomato red at that last one and nearly fell off the wagon. That one was definitely it then!

Her hopes were dashed as Marco vigorously shook his head. "No, no, and absolutely not! We're going to stop in at one of the trading houses I have a relationship with so I can offload some of this cargo and pick up some new stuff. We also need to find a place that sells women's makeup for you so we can hide your cheekmarks. That way you won't have to walk around with your hood drawn up all the time. We'll be able to blend into the population better that way. Then we'll find a nice inn and go get some dinner. Should be a fairly simple day overall." Marco puffed out his chest a little in pride. It was a neat, organized, and well put-together plan, just the way he liked them, just the way they should go. He couldn't understand then why Star seemed to be looking at the prospective day in dread. He got his answer soon enough though.

"That sounds soooooo boring! Why can't we do anything fun while we're in town? Some kind of mini-adventure or something, just, I don't know, cool!"

Marco's tone was reproachful. "Star, we're not here to do anything _cool_. I am still a merchant after all and need to do these kinds of things. Besides, we're supposed to be traveling in disguise, keeping a low profile and all, and that goes double for while we're this close to the capital. It would be a pretty dumb idea to go galivanting around the first city we come across, you know?"

At that point, Star decided it was time to pull out the big guns. She coughed lightly to get Marco's attention and then unleashed the saddest, most sorrowful puppy-dog eyes she could on him. It wasn't something she liked to rely on too often because it made her feel like some weak damsel, but she wasn't going to deny its effectiveness when she really let someone have it with them. Guards would look the other way when they caught her sneaking around the castle or back in from one of her rare late-night jaunts into town, the castle chefs would let her sneak pastries out of the kitchens, and of course Glossaryck would constantly forgive her being late or missing lessons. When Marco didn't crack immediately, Star gave him credit, but still when he looked away uncomfortably, she knew she had him. Finally, he relented. "Alright, alright look. We're going to be in town all day tomorrow too. If you can at least behave today then we can do some exploring then." Star's brilliant smile only faded slightly when Marco added on, "assuming we can find the makeup to hide your hearts," she knew that was just his way of trying to save some face in the situation, she'd seen it a hundred times before. Still flashing an ear to ear grin she stuck out her hand like she had seen some shopkeepers do when they finished haggling with customers; she figured it was the same among merchants.

"You've got yourself a deal Mr. Diaz!"

Marco could only shake his head ruefully. Somehow, he had a feeling he was going to regret this…. A couple hours later the wagon crested a small rise among the rolling hills and the walls of the town suddenly came into view. From their slightly elevated vantage point Star could see the entire city surrounded by whiteish-grey walls while on the left-hand side she could see the Baxtorian River pass by, the mid-morning sunlight reflecting off of it making it sparkle in a dazzling array of silver shades and rainbows. It also looked like the city walls extended into the river itself, perhaps to fully encompass the town or something the lay beyond it? Star couldn't tell and tried to stand up in the wagon seat as if the extra couple feet of height would allow her to clear the walls. Of course, Marco, blissfully unaware of what his traveling companion was doing, started the wagon with Star still standing up, nearly causing her to topple off in the process before falling into the wagon bed in an undignified heap. Needless to say, she was rather grouchy about the affair and Marco spent the remaining 20 minutes or so until they arrived at the city gates getting an earful from the princess, though he couldn't help but notice how she kept stealing glances at the ever-closer city walls as they drew closer to their destination.

* * *

Soon enough the pair had joined a meandering line of wagons large and small, individuals on the backs of fierce stallions, plodding donkeys, and even on foot, all seeking entry into the town to conduct their business. Star was simultaneously trying to hide her face further into the shadow thrown by her hood while also trying to take everything in. In her opinion, her actions were subtle and discreet. To Marco and everyone else though, it looked like the girl had been seized by an incurable bout of fidgeting. When it was their turn to cross the threshold, Marco pulled up the wagon and allowed the guards to quickly check the goods he was carrying. Of course, Marco kept everything above board, Mewni law wasn't particularly kind to smugglers and he wasn't exactly looking to have a brand on him for the rest of his life. After that it was a simple matter of a couple coins paid as an entry tax and they were along the main thoroughfare. For Marco, this was just another of dozens of towns and cities he had been in. Oh, it was nice to be sure, Tresting's location along one of the kingdom's main rivers and its proximity to the capital made it an ideal location for trade and the appearance of the town spoke to its quiet prosperity. For Star on the other hand, everything had the rosy-tint of wonder that only something new and exciting could bring. The local streets were paved with the same color stone as the town walls, and the shops and houses seemed to be built of the stuff too while paired with red-tiled roofs. In truth, it didn't carry the same grandeur that a major city like Sperana had, but the bustle of people maneuvering around one another and the carts and market stalls, going to and from shops and work and homes, it was exactly what she had been yearning for! And that was to say nothing of the smells and sounds! A constant hum of conversation punctuated by the occasional shouting match threatened to overwhelm ears accustomed to the quiet of castle chambers, and the mixed odors of freshly baked pastries, raw meats, horses, bodies both washed and, ugh, unwashed, mingled together assaulted a nose that was used to fragrant rose gardens and perfumed nobles. Star made eye contact with one girl walking with a bag of what appeared to be fresh peaches on her arm who looked to be about her age and when the girl gave a small smile, Star was so excited she jumped up on the wagon bench and began waving madly at the girl. Even Marco pulling her back down onto the wagon and telling her to calm down and not draw attention to herself couldn't diminish her joy. Someone had smiled at her! A true and honest smile too, not a plastered on one thrown her way because it was "proper" or because "one must always show deference to the princess." Come to think of it, no one here knew she was a princess! Of course, part of her understood that was because she was purposefully hiding her identity given the situation, but even then, Star felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Before long, the small canvas stalls and single-story shops gave way to more substantial homes, those of the town's wealthy no doubt, Star thought, while over those rooftops the spires of still taller buildings could be seen. As if he were living in her subconscious, Glossaryck's voice popped into her head reminding her that in small towns such as this one the largest buildings would often be the justice court and either the lord mayor's residence or a home belonging to the local lord. If the lord in question controlled only the small town, it would be their primary residence, while a larger lord would likely have a separate main home and use this one as a place to stay during their travels throughout their holdings. Star was rather proud of herself for having remembered one of Glossaryck's endless lectures in such detail, though that didn't stop her from shaking her head as if trying to dislodge the apparition. By the time she came out of her daze, Marco had taken the wagon left onto a street bordering the river and Star could now see why the walls looked like they wrapped further around then they had from the hillside. Sitting not quite in the middle of the river was a long and thin island where yet more homes had been built. Six different bridges had been built across the span and the walls had somehow been built arcing over the river itself before coming back to earth and wrapping around the second part of the city, creating a complete circuit without actually impeding the flow of the river itself which was positively teeming with barges ferrying yet more goods in and out of what looked to be warehouses of some sort.

They had only gone a short distance down the row when Star made to ask what the point of the buildings were but before she could get a word in her question was answered for her, though not by Marco. Instead, the young merchant had pulled up in front of a man in a light beige shirt under a purple vest who quickly gave a deep bow and proudly declared, "Welcome to Rialto Trading!" Star glanced over Marco to her right to see they had stopped by a rather nice-looking building, the side facing her consisting of arched openings with rather intricately patterned ironwork above each threshold.

Marco seemed at ease with the situation saying, "I've been here before. My master and I sold some grain here before, about three years ago, today I was hoping you'd buy some furs from me," by way of greeting.

The man continued on in the same enthusiastic manor, "Yes, yes! I'm sure the masters inside will be more than happy to take a look at them. Just head down to the fourth entryway, it should be open right now." With a simple nod in thanks Marco lightly flicked the reins and got the wagon moving again while Star was a little put off. The guy hadn't even acknowledged her existence! Yes, she understood it was Marco's job but still even a polite nod or hello would've been nice! _Alright Butterfly, calm down. Remember, you're not a princess anymore, you're Estrella Mariposa, just a simple girl traveling with Marco. Not everyone's going to be nice to you, not everyone's going to pretend to hang on your every word. This is fine. Heck, it's more than fine, this is what you were hoping for, remember?_ Of course, hoping for something in the abstract wasn't exactly the same as immediately adapting to it, as Star was rapidly coming to realize.

Per the greeter's instructions, Marco pulled his wagon into the fourth entryway of the building. A parallel set of ruts had been cut into the cobblestone floor in a rough semi-circle so as to allow the wagons entering and exiting the building ease of movement. The interior of the warehouse had the same pattern of arches and buttresses as the exterior, with ensconced torches surrounding the pillars to give light. Star noticed that each stall was separated from the others by low iron bars, no more than 3 feet high or so. Certainly not tall enough to stop a man or a runaway horse by itself, but a skittish horse weighed down by a wagon? That would be more than enough to keep it contained. The pair pulled up before yet another man, this one wearing a reddish-brown cap and wearing a floor-length black robe. Like the man outside, he gave an elegant bow stating, "For using our services today, we of the Rialto company thank you deeply." _Ugh,_ Star thought, _these guys are almost as bad as the nobles. Seriously, what's wrong with just saying hi?_ The man looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "Your name is Marco Diaz isn't it? I remember you from the last time you came here."

Marco hopped off the wagon and gave an equally polite and deep bow. "Yes, it is." Marco replied with what sounded like genuine surprise and appreciation in his voice. "I'm quite honored that you would remember me."

"And we're honored that you have come back to trade with us once again," the man replied, focusing all of his attention on Marco, something which Star was rapidly growing tired of.

Seeing the two about to move on in their conversation, she rapidly hopped off the cart, marched up next to Marco and stuck out her hand to the man. "And I'm Estrella Mariposa! It's nice to meet you!"

The somewhat flustered merchant lightly shook Star's hand and gave it a single, quick shake before shooting Marco a perplexed look. "My deepest apologies, I was unaware you had a business partner."

Marco for his part shot a glare at Star which quickly cooled both her frustration and budding optimism at finally being noticed. He turned back to the trading representative with an apologetic look. "I'm afraid the young lady isn't my business partner, just my traveling companion. She's also Andelisian and is… unused to the custom here." Marco gave another quick bow, "She meant no offense I assure you."

To Marco's immense relief, and to a lesser extent Star's, the tradesman seemed to find the whole situation rather funny and chuckled with a light shake of his head. "Absolutely none taken. I did a fair bit of traveling in my younger days; I know what it's like to be in an unfamiliar land. Now then, on to business. Might I inquire as to what you've brought us today?"

Gesturing, Marco walked the man over to the back of the wagon and pulled back the tarp covering to reveal various goods, though the main item was clearly the large stack of furs occupying most of the space. With a light cough, Marco launched into an explanation. "I was recently traveling through a number of villages south of Sperana and acquired these from a local hunter. There are a total of 70 of them."

The trade representative looked down into the wagon and lightly ran the back of his hand along one of the furs, "Very nice, these appear to be rather high quality. Martin fur, is that accurate? With such a bountiful harvest last fall we didn't see all that many come in."

Marco nodded along eagerly. "I'm sure all the farmers were too busy working the land to have time for hunting, and I guess most of the hunters thought they could get better pay helping in the fields than tracking game through the woods. And yet, look and see how many I've brought you here."

"Mhmm, yes." The tradesman seemed to be thinking of something for a moment. "Given that there're 70 pelts and that you've graced us with your business before, how would you feel about say, 123 silver oaks?

Marco in turn seemed to think it over for a moment before replying. "I'd like to remind you that you just admitted there was a shortage of furs last year, and another good harvest this fall could lead to an even bigger shortage. On top of that, you'll notice that all 70 are in excellent condition and have maintained their gloss despite being in the back of the wagon for the past several weeks. A set of furs like this comes around maybe once every five years, if that." Putting on a somewhat dramatic flourish Marco added, "Personally I'd also like to keep a good relationship going with your trading house. I've gotten this lucky with the furs, I'll leave it up to your imagination what other rare finds I might come across on my travels. Finds I would of course be more than happy to bring to Rialto trading first, especially knowing I would always get a fair price."

Marco was laying it on a little thick in Star's opinion but the Rialto representative seemed to take it all in stride, continuing on with the same polite tone he'd had since the beginning of the conversation. "Of course, Rialto trading deeply values our relationship with all of its merchants, including you master Diaz. Well, if we're going to take our future relationship into account, why don't we make it 140 silver oaks? That would make it two coins a fur, a generous price for such high quality, wouldn't you agree?"

Marco seemed to be on the verge of agreement but Star thought that what he was being offered seemed unfair. After all she could see other merchants making deals in the adjacent stalls and it looked like a lot more money was changing hands. And besides, the furs were really pretty and soft! Then a flash of inspiration hit the young princess, she should try and get the man to offer Marco a higher price! After all, she was really good at convincing angry guards and servants to let her get away with things all the time. Ok so maybe they kind of had to because, well, she was the heir to the throne but still, she put a lot of effort into it! Besides, she'd just seen Marco haggle with the guy for a higher price and he made it look easy, she was sure she could handle it!

While Star was having this revelation meanwhile Marco was feeling pretty satisfied with himself. He was about to sell these furs for nearly double what he'd bought them for and he'd kept his relationship with the trading company! He sent a silent prayer of thanks to his master wherever he was for drilling the lesson into his head to always make buys that might be scarce elsewhere. He was definitely going to celebrate tonight. Of course, first he needed to take Star to get some makeup and then find an inn to stay in for the night and somewhere to find dinner. He could ask the Rialto representative for some recommendations, town merchants thrived on little tidbits like this for their preferred clients. Marco's train of thought was suddenly derailed and a wrenching chill ran up his spine when he saw Star flash by him shouting at the top of her lungs, "140 silver oaks isn't nearly enough!"

The man from Rialto trading turned his attention to Star, completely perplexed, unable to respond with anything other than a muttered "excuse me?" Marco meanwhile was too frozen in fear to say anything, screaming in his head to anyone or anything listening out there to bring him out of this delusion because there was no way this princess was about to derail the biggest deal he'd had in months! But no such intervention divine or otherwise came to him as Star continued on brazenly.

"You said Marco's furs were worth 140 silver oaks isn't that right?" Star was speaking loud enough to draw the attention of some of the others in the building who were now casting curious glances over at the threesome, trying to figure out just what was going on. Eager to regain some control of the situation, the trade representative tried for a gentle, placating tone, "yes that's correct, 140 silver oaks." Star, however, was having none of it.

"I mean I get that you're trying to make a profit and everything and that time is the amount of money that can be made or something like that, Marco told me so, but you have to see that these guys right here," Star gave a pat to the pile of furs still sitting in the back of the wagon for emphasis, "are way better than what you're giving them credit for."

The Rialto representative tried again, still mostly confused and now slightly frustrated. "I apologize miss… Mariposa, was it? But I'm really not sure what you mean. Master Diaz and I discussed the high quality of the furs at length already and came to what I can assure you is a more than reasonable price. I'm sure he would be happy to explain the rather intricate details of the fur trade to you later but for now I really must insist that you…"

"No sir," Star interrupted him, "_I_ really must insist that _YOU_ take another look. You barely touched the furs last time. In fact, here." Star took one of the furs out of the cart and handed it to the man who looked at Marco for an understanding of what the hell was going on but the young merchant was refusing to make eye contact, convinced that this deal, his relationship with Rialto trading, heck his relationship with every merchant in Tresting, was about to go up in smoke! His mind was screaming at him to grab Star and get her to shut up in the hopes of salvaging the deal, but his body, frozen in fear, was refusing to obey him. Meanwhile, Star went back to giving the man directions.

"Now go ahead and pull on the fur." At this point the man had decided to just humor Star in the hopes of getting the conversation over with and gave it a mild tug, to which Star shook her head. "No, not like that! C'mon, give it a pull like you're trying to tear the thing in half!" This time the representative did and found to his surprise that the fur was surprisingly durable. Star could see the look register on his face and quickly snatched the fur back from him, this time draping it around the shoulders of her cloak. "And see how nicely it looks set against traveling garments? You know how cold it gets here in the winter, imagine being able to sell strong and warm fur clothing that's durable! You're going to make a fortune! Or at least…that's what I'm going to tell the guy at the next trading company we stop in at. Marco here was just too nice to let you know what an incredible find you had here." Star dropped her voice into a conspiratorial whisper, "He's just too nice for his own good, you know?" Then taking her voice back up to a normal level, she continued, "Now, with all that in mind I think you should tell me what price you're really willing to pay for these furs _AND_ to keep a good relationship with Marco and I."

The man quickly pulled out what Star recognized as an abacus and began making some calculations. "200! We'll buy them for 200 silver oaks!"

Marco slapped his hand across his mouth to cover a gasp of surprise and even that couldn't cover the astonished mutter of "200!?" that came out of his mouth.

Star seemed to contemplate the offer for the moment as she'd seen Marco do before going for the kill. "How about 3 silver oaks a fur? That would be 210 in total." When the Rialto representative seemed to hesitate for a moment Star turned back toward Marco. "Marco, there are other trading companies here in town you have a relationship with, right? We should go visit them, it appears we've wasted this poor man's time."

Quickly the representative waved his hands in front of his face, frantically saying, "No, no there's no need for any of that. We will… happily take the furs for 210 silver oaks."

Smirking, Star tossed the fur back onto the pile with the others and held out her hand awaiting the payment. "Oh, well of course if you insist then I think Marco and I would be happy to sell at that price."

* * *

Within minutes, two porters from the company had hopped into the stall and began offloading the furs while the Rialto representative carefully counted out 21 stacks of 10 silver oak coins in front of Marco before placing them in a drawstring cloth bag and handing them to the man. A few more pleasantries were exchanged and then the two of them were out of the trading house and back on the streets heading towards the local garment sellers' section of town in the hopes that one of the shopkeepers would be selling the makeup they were looking for or at least know someone who did. Star had been feeling quite proud of herself after the deal was concluded and was sure Marco was going to shower her with praise the moment they got back on the wagon. Ok no, maybe he didn't want to gloat in front of the Rialto representative, that was fair. But surely he was going to say something to Star when they were back out on the street? Nope, not then either, Star thought, but they were still near the trading houses after all and Marco did need to concentrate on navigating the cart through the chaotic traffic of men, horses, barges, and wagons.

By the time they had made it into the considerably less crowded garment shop portion of the town, Star was worried and confused. Marco hadn't said anything to her, he'd just been sitting there with a passive look on his face. Finally, as they appeared to pull up in front of a small shop that had a variety of elegant dresses and bottles of perfumes sitting in behind the window, Star couldn't take it anymore. "Marco… you're not… mad at me, are you?" Marco looked down for a moment and when he started to shake lightly Star was sure he was going to explode in anger. To her surprise then, when he looked back up his eyes were positively glowing.

"Star, that was absolutely amazing! I've spent this whole time thinking of how the heck you pulled that off! I mean I thought you were totally going to blow it but then woah, watch out Rialto trading and just took charge of the conversation! How did you learn how to argue like that?"

Seeing that the young merchant wasn't angry with her, Star's worry fell away and a playful smirk grew on her face instead. "Oh Marco, Marco, Marco. Don't ever underestimate my ability to get my way. That guy may have been Mr. 'Oh look at me, I'm so know it all, I don't think these furs are worth anything, blah, blah, blah,' but _I_ am the one and only Star Butterfly, and I've gotten out of more lectures and groundings than you could ever imagine. Plus, it's not like I had to lie or anything, those were some really awesome furs! They were sooooooooo soft, I really wanted to keep one," she finished with a pout.

Marco held a hand to his face, lightly chuckling at Star's expression and her rather unique explanation of the whole situation. "Well I'm sorry you couldn't keep any but thanks to someone's rather nice bargaining," he poked her arm for emphasis, "I couldn't exactly pass up the chance to offload them all. And yeah, maybe I could've gotten more for them but I really wanted to build up a good relationship with that company and was hoping lowballing the price a bit might've meant I could get a better deal in the future."

Star's face fell a little at hearing that, "Oh, I'm so sorry Marco I wasn't thinking about that, I just wanted to help you and everything. Do you think they're going to be mad at you? I don't want you to lose your job or anything because of this."

Marco could only shrug his shoulders at that, "Well my route only takes me through here once a year, so hopefully by the time I come back this way they'll have forgotten all about it. And if not, I can always let them know that they were actually buying furs from the Queen of Mewni, that should make them feel better." Star rolled her eyes at that and flicked Marco on the forehead in response, smirking when it elicited a small "ow" from the boy as he rubbed his forhead.

"I thought I told you to stop with the royal stuff Diaz. Besides," Star put on her best faux noble impression, "It is bad form to abuse one's connections for one's own personal gain. Most unbecoming of a gentleman." Star couldn't keep up the charade with a straight face for long though and the two soon found themselves back in a fit of giggling. When they managed tog et themselves back under control both teens hopped off the cart and made to enter the shop but just before Star could reach for the door handle she felt Marco's hand on her shoulder turn her around and fix her with an intense stare.

"One thing before we go in Star."

"Y-yes?" Was all Star was able to muster in return.

Marco's serious face suddenly turned into a cheshire grin as he flicked her in the exact place she had gotten him a moment earlier, the already ear-to-ear smile threatening to get even bigger as Star pouted and rubbed her forehead. "Maybe leave the negotiations to me this time? Or at least give me a heads up if you're going to suddenly star haggling with every shopkeeper we come across, ok?"

Star stuck her tongue out in response before muttering "rude" under her breath where she assumed Marco wouldn't hear her, leading her to blush crimson when he replied "only when I need to be." Once more a round of laughter erupted between the two of them, this time carrying on even as they crossed the threshold into the shop.

Entering the establishment, Star again tried to take in everything around her, the finished wood countertops, the cubbyholes filled with different fabrics ranging from wool to silk and in every conceivable color along with what appeared to be simpler clothing, and the warm lighting filling the area that she realized came from a skylight nestled among the rafters in the ceiling. The shelves behind the counter meanwhile were full of bottles and jars in a variety of shapes and Star's nose once again came under assault. Unlike when they'd first entered town however, this was not the new scent of a lively town but rather the familiar scent of oils and perfumes that some of the nobles back in the castle had practically bathed in; it made her nose twitch in bittersweet nostalgia and for a moment she desperately tried to filter through the intermingled scents for a hit of the essence of rose her mother had enjoyed wearing. She was pulled from her thoughts when Marco range a small bell sitting on the front counter. Moments later an older gentleman, or at least Star assumed he was older given his blading head, came out from around back with a smile on his face.

"Welcome, welcome, and how can I be of assistance to you fine young travelers today?" He'd been the first merchant they'd met in this town who had acknowledged Star's presence alongside Marco's. Star liked him immediately. In keeping her unspoken agreement with Marco though, she let him take the lead.

Marco gave a smile in return. "Would you happen to have women's concealer and blush available here? Something suitable for a lady?"

The shopkeeper nodded vigorously. "Of course! I carry a variety for all kinds of occasions and skins, it's become quite fashionable among the noble ladies lately you know. I can barely keep myself in stock sometimes! Now, if the young lady might lower her hood so I can get a good look at her complexion? These things need to be matched closely you know."

Marco knew what questions would pop up if the man saw Star's face and recognized her, and how unique it would be even if he didn't. Not many women were walking around with a pair of matching heart-shaped birthmarks on their cheeks after all! He quickly held up both hands and shook them in front of himself. "That uh… that won't be possible I'm afraid. She has some… scars! Yes! Some rather unfortunate scarring on her face from a nasty riding accident not too long ago." Marco made eye contact with Star, trying to pass along the hidden message while saying out loud, "she doesn't like showing her face in public I'm afraid." Understanding Marco's plea, Star pretended to be embarrassed, pulling the hood of her cloak further over her face and turning away slightly; which might have been for the best so that neither the shopkeeper or Marco could see the smirk on her face from how ridiculous this all seemed.

The shopkeeper for his part nodded in sympathy. "Ah yes, I understand. I'd like to say this is the first time I've dealt with such a thing but sadly, that's not the case." He glanced over at Star, "Don't worry my dear, we'll find just the thing for you. If it's alright, would you mind coming over here so I can at least look at your arm to find the right powder?" Star glanced up at Marco, the silent question answered for her with his encouraging nod, and so she walked over slowly pushing back the sleeve of her robe before laying her forearm gently on the counter.

Putting on a pair of spectacles, the owner looked at her arm for a moment while muttering something under his breath that Star was unable to make out before he reached under the counter and grabbed a small brush, a bowl of water, and several different jars. Looking up he said, "You have quite fair skin my dear, very lovely. I'm sure before the accident your face was equally beautiful and I assure you, we will make it so again! Now, I'm going to apply a few of these to your arm to see which one matches most closely so I'll need you to hold still for me alright?" Star nodded in understanding, trying to play up the whole "shy and scarred maiden thing" _Marco's going to hear about that later_, she thought, as she watched the man dip the very edge of the brush into the water and open the first jar before rubbing it around in the powder and making a dash across her skin. Looking down at her arm, Star could clearly see it was the wrong tone for her skin and the man clearly agreed, shaking his head before wiping off the makeup with a rag and dipping the brush back into the water before trying with the next jar. Several attempts later they finally found one that almost worked. It was the tiniest bit off but the shopkeeper assured her that no one would notice unless they were, ahem, intimately close to Star, and he even offered to add a smaller jar of blush to the powder which would mask the variation even better.

With the selection made, now came the hard part, for Marco anyway. "So, how much is this going to cost?"

The shopkeeper's pleasant demeanor never left, but it did take on an ever so slightly more serious tone. "I can see from your cart outside that you're a traveling merchant. Understand that the ingredients to prepare all this are hard to come by. I only get shipments about 3 or 4 times a year. On top of that, most of my clientele are nobles and they expect a lot of what they want and for it to last so I have to sell it in bulk. This jar for your companion is a two-month supply and that's the smallest size I sell it in. It'll be 2 gold butterflies, and that number is final," the man added before Marco could even open his mouth with a counteroffer. Such a quick answer spoke to a confidence that either Marco wasn't going to find this stuff any cheaper elsewhere, if he could find it at all, or that the shopkeeper knew Marco didn't know enough about the cosmetics market to argue otherwise, which frankly he didn't. It was a fairly extravagant purchase, a single gold butterfly was worth 20 silver oaks, meaning even with Star getting him triple what he paid for the pelts his entire last trade had been worth only ten and a half of the golden coins, but it was also necessary. One of the first lessons Marco's old master had taught him was that sometimes there wasn't room for negotiation and you just had to suck it up and pay the price demanded of you. This was undoubtedly one of those times. With a begrudging nod Marco shook hands with the man and handed over the coins, the shopkeeper's demeanor immediately falling back into the pleasantness it had started with. As he started to pull out some thin paper and twine for patching Star chimed in with a question.

"Pardon me, but you wouldn't happen to have any rose oil essence, would you?"

The shopkeeper looked surprised for a moment before shooting Marco a glance of sympathy mixed with amusement. "You're companion here has good taste… and an expensive one." He turned his attention back to Star. "I do keep a small supply on hand." He turned around and reached up to the third shelf behind the counter, pulling down a small teal vial that couldn't have been more than a few inches tall. "This right here," he gestured to the vial in his hand, "is my entire stock at the moment. It's very potent, just one drop rubbed between the wrists will linger for days. It's became incredibly valuable once everyone discovered that it was Queen Moon's favorite perfume." Marco's eyes widened, first in surprise and then understanding. _So that was why Star had asked about it,_ he thought. The man coughed lightly, bringing Marco's attention back to him. "This would cost another 4 gold butterflies." Marco didn't even have to run the numbers in his head to know that that was simply too high a price for him to pay. His heart constricted painfully when Star shot him a hopeful glance from under her hood, only to have her expression turn crestfallen at seeing Marco shake his head ever so slightly. It wasn't his fault it was so damn expensive! Star wasn't a princess anymore and she was going to have to learn to live without some of the luxuries of royal life. On the other hand… Marco thought about how desperate he'd be if he could get his hands on something, anything, that would bring back memories of his parents, no matter how fleeting. Sighing, he tried his best to distract her.

"Estrella, why don't you go get the wagon ready outside? I'll finish up here and be there soon." Nodding without replying, Star turned and left the shop, shoulders slumped dejectedly. Turning back around Marco caught the shopkeeper looking at him with one eyebrow raised.

"She must have really wanted that perfume hmmm?"

"Yeah… It would have… It would have reminded her of someone she used to know. Now, if you could finish wrapping up my order. Oh, and you wouldn't happen to know of a good inn here in town, would you?"

* * *

A couple minutes later Marco came strolling out of the shop and hopped back up on the wagon bench next to a still depressed looking Star. Trying, and failing, to meet her eyes and pass along a smile, he settled for pressing the small package he was carrying into her hands. "This is the powder. I figured we could check into the inn and give you a chance to put it on and then I can introduce you to one of my traditions after a good sale. How's that sound?"

Star weakly gave him a smile as they got moving again, but it never did reach her eyes. "That sounds great Marco, I'm looking forward to it."

Without really thinking about it, Marco reached out and wrapped an arm around Star, pulling her into the best embrace he could manage while still steering the wagon. "You wanted that perfume because your mom used to wear it, right? It would have reminded you of her?" Star gave a nod in reply, quietly choking back a sob as tears threatened to run over. Marco felt like he owed her an explanation. It's not like he hadn't wanted to get the stuff for her after all. "Star, you should know it's not like I didn't buy it because I didn't want to. It's just… well frankly I don't have a ton of money and I have to buy a new load of goods tomorrow and then there's food and the inns and my emergency fund in case things go wrong and I'm trying to save up whatever I can for my shop and…" He was cut off when Star gently laid a hand on his arm.

"Marco it's alright, really, I get it. I mean you already got me the makeup so I could take this," she pulled lightly on the cloak, "off whenever I want." This time the smile she gave him seemed a little more genuine. "I already owe you a lot, from the moment we met in fact. So please don't feel like you owe me anything. I guess part of not being a princess on this journey is learning that I can't get everything I want. But that just means the things I still get to have and see and do are going to mean so much more, right?" Marco blinked in surprise at how Star managed to echo the very thoughts he'd had in the clothing store. _I guess I underestimated how down to earth she'd be about this,_ he thought, mentally kicking himself. At that moment, he resolved to make it up to her tonight. "Yeah Star." He gave her one more squeeze, realizing that he'd continued to hold her in a half hug this entire time. The close contact felt… nice, he had to admit. He tried to rationalize it by pointing out to himself that Star was rather beautiful and that it wasn't everyday Marco Diaz found himself in contact with a girl like her, to say nothing of her royal status. Whether that made the blush in his face any less red was up for debate, but at least Marco was willing to tell himself that it definitely made a difference. Reluctantly, he let her go in order to get both hands on the wagon reins in order to make a sharp turn, but noted with some pleasure that Star remained close enough to him that their thighs barely touched.

They rode together like that in a companionable silence the rest of the way to the inn, each enjoying the calmer air to the town now that evening was approaching and the gentle warm light that seemed to reflect off every building as the sun descended towards the Baxtorian River. Before long, Marco pulled up to a relatively nice-looking two-story building with an iron decoration hanging over the door that read _The Songbird Inn_ and had a fairly good carving of a lark on it. Much like the inn in the small village the previous night, Marco and Star again entered the premises only this time the innkeeper wasn't speaking Andalisian with Marco and so Star understood why Marco blushed when the man asked him if they would be needing a room with only one bed. Star had to admit it was kind of cute seeing how flustered Marco got as he blushed and waved his hands wildly in front of him insisting that two beds would be just fine, though Marco did ask if a small mirror could be brought to the room for her sake. The innkeeper seemed more than happy to oblige the request, for a small additional fee of course. _Jeez,_ Star thought, _does everything "cost extra" around here? Can't anyone just be willing to do someone a favor?_ Internal monologue about the nature of greed aside, a short while later Marco had paid for two nights, the horse and wagon had been stabled, and Star and Marco were in their room. Marco was taking the opportunity to take a load off and was splayed across the bed while Star was taking advantage of the aforementioned mirror to apply a bit of the coverup and blush, working diligently until she was fairly certain her hearts were hidden completely. _Only one way to know for sure of course_, she thought.

"Hey Marco, what'd ya think?" She spun around and faced the young merchant still laying on the bed.

Swinging himself up into a sitting position Marco was about to comment that he was sure Star looked fine but when he saw her his mouth went dry and his mind went blank for a moment. The rapidly setting sun framed Star's face in a halo accentuated by golden hair that seemed to ripple like the ripened wheat he saw in fields during his travels. Crystal-blue eyes were set into an alabaster face whose pink hearts had been replaced by just the lightest hint of rosy blush. Marco had seen plenty of Star's face in their last couple days together, but never quite like this and he found himself being reminded for what felt like the millionth time that Star was rather easy on the eyes. Then again, he reflected, he wouldn't exactly mind being reminded of that little fact a few more times, just to make sure the message really got hammered home. Realizing that the princess was still waiting for him to reply he quickly said the simplest and yet most truthful thing he could think of, "You look great Star!" Said princess couldn't help but giggle both at how Marco's voice seemed to have shot up a few octaves for a second and, Marco noticed to his absolute horror, he was holding up both hands in a thumbs-up gesture. He hadn't meant to do that! Why was he doing that?! Trying to regain some of his dignity, he stood up quickly and gestured to the door. "Should we head to that place the innkeeper recommended for dinner then? I don't know about you but I'm starving." Star's stomach decided to respond for her by choosing that moment to gurgle noisily, sending both teens into laughter.

The walk over to the restaurant was nice. It was a warm night out and Star relished the opportunity to go out with her head uncovered again. The cloak she'd been wearing had been comfortable enough but it had felt constricting in a way, like she'd been forced to hide part of herself and now she was free. Granted, the only reason she didn't have to wear the cloak anymore was because of the makeup and in that sense she wasn't any freer than she had been, she was just wearing a more effective disguise but for the moment Star was willing to let that particular bit of logic slip her by in favor of holding onto the warm feeling running through her at the moment.

The restaurant the innkeeper had suggested to the pair of travelers had wound up being in the center of town near the local lord's residence and instantly seemed like it was going to be a winner. Loud peals of laughter and the overlapping garble of a few drunken songs could be heard well before the pair had entered the building and once inside the place proved to be quite lively. A large three-quarters bar occupied the entire right-hand side of the establishment and looked to be completely packed. Meanwhile, long trestle tables occupied much of the front with groups and strangers all crowded together eating and drinking. Further back were more private tables of 2 to 4 people. The whole place was lit by small glass lamps and smelled of ale and all manner of what Star was sure were delicious foods if the enthusiasm she saw some of the patrons simply devouring their meals was anything to go by. Now this was her kind of place!

Shortly, a rather pretty brunette server arrived and Marco whispered something into her ear that Star couldn't quite make out, though she did notice him slip a couple copper coins into her hand which impressively disappeared in a flash in the bar maid's pockets. With a smile, she led them towards the back of the restaurant to a semi-secluded two-person table where the hundreds of overlapping conversations turned into a dull roar in the background rather than the only thing she could hear. As she left them with a small selections of dishes available that night and a promise to be back with water shortly Marco shot Star a light smirk. "Not too bad on the seating huh? Guess the old Diaz charm is just too much for some ladies."

Star rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, the Diaz charm of bribing someone. Don't think didn't I notice those coins Marco. You don't have to hand out money just to show me a good time you know," she finished with a laugh.

Marco cocked his head slightly. "I wasn't spending to show you a good time Star, I just figured it would be nice to have a place where we could talk a little privately without me having to call you Estrella all the time." Star's relaxed smile looked a little crestfallen at that but before the conversation could go further the barmaid came back and asked for their orders. Before Star could get a word in edgewise Marco rattled off a series of dishes so fast that while she could barely keep up, Star was fairly sure consisted of most of the items on the menu. Even the waitress had seemed a little dazed by the speed of the order and Star could swear she saw the girl repeating parts of it as she wandered back to the kitchen. Star turned to her traveling companion who was now sporting a wide grin. "**That**," he said almost triumphantly, "was me spending to show you a good time. In fact, this whole night is going to be about us having a great time."

Now it was Star's turn to look puzzled. "Why's that? Some kind of merchant's tradition or something?"

Marco shook his head. "Nope, this is one is a Marco Diaz original. I lived hand to mouth sometimes with my master when a deal went bad or something went wrong and it was even worse when I first got started. Then one time I caught this huge break on some rare spices this guy had. He was selling them for dirt cheap and I made a huge amount of money. 650 silver oaks! Can you believe it? 650! After that I went to the nearest bar and ate and drank until I was sick. I woke up in bed the next morning, no idea how I got back to the inn I was staying at mind you, and had the worst hangover of my life, could barely remember anything. But I couldn't shake the impression that it was one of the best nights of my life, so I vowed that from then on that every time I hit it big on a trade deal I would go out and celebrate like it was my last night on earth. And seeing how it's also your first time in a new town, I figured that just gives us another reason to celebrate."

"Awwwww Marcooooo! That's so sweet!" Star gushed. Marco shrugged his shoulders and the two fell back into the companionable silence that seemed to be becoming the norm between them at times like this. For Marco, it was nice just having another person around and for Star it was beyond relieving to have someone who she could call a friend and treated her as Star first and foremost, not as the Princess of Mewni. Before long not one, but three waitresses returned laden down with all manner of dishes, having to drag a second table over just to fit everything on there! Marco fell on a rack of ribs like… well like a growing teenager who hadn't eaten for most of the day which, to be fair, he hadn't. Star on the other hand, he noticed, fell on a plate of corn and chicken as if she were a starving wolf. He'd caught a glimpse of her appetite the other day when she'd attacked the stew he'd made her but at the time he just chalked it up to the stress of her situation and hunger from having been on the run all evening. This though was on a whole different level. _Seriously, she's so trim, where the heck does she put it all?_

If Star had bothered to look up from her dinner she might have noticed the shocked look on Marco's face. It wouldn't have been the first time. Star had absolutely hated all the niceties of court life but more than any other protocol or societal expectation she had hated the formal, agonizingly slow way that she'd been expected to eat. _A proper princess does not slurp her soup, a proper princess does not try and fit an entire loaf of wheat bread in her mouth at once, a proper princess… Star for goodness sake do I even need to say the first line, you're trying to manhandle an entire roast boar, look at your dress!_ Lectures and admonitions from her mother ran through her mind. Moon had often said that Star got her insatiable appetite, and terrible table manners, from her father and Star had taken pride in that. As her father's only child she was the last surviving member of the once mighty Johansens, she had a heritage to uphold and feasting rather than merely eating was a part of that. Or at least… that was how she was willing to justify it to herself. It sounded better than admitting that she enjoyed doing anything or acting in any way that ran counter to what the nobility expected of her. Regardless the food was amazing, like almost as good as Marco's cooking levels of amazing! _I should help Marco out with his trade deals more often if this is going to be the result_ she thought.

After almost an hour of solid gorging the two teens sat back with distended stomachs, fully satisfied. "That was" *belch* "freaking fantastic Marco," Star said while giving her belly a light pat. "I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal that much."

Marco made a sound that to Star seemed like he was trying to laugh but a burp got in the way. It came out with a kind of "hurgkkk" sound. "That was only part one Star, hope you're ready for the next round." Signaling over to the same barmaid who had been bringing dishes over and cleaning up after the pair for the whole meal Marco held up two fingers and said "two of the best corn ale you got and keep 'em coming!" The barmaid nodded wearily, but business was business and Marco had flashed some silver when he'd originally ordered so much food so they knew he was good for it. As she left to get the drinks Marco caught sight of Star giving him a puzzled look.

"Corn ale Marco? Kind of heavy isn't it Marco? Never really expected that from you." Marco scoffed at that. "Please Star, you know how many roadside inns and dirt-poor bars I've been in? If you don't want to be treated like a kid you learn how to drink the heavy stuff quickly. How about you **princess**," he made sure to put emphasis in at the end in a way that he hoped would let Star would know he was joking. "Think you can keep up, or were they too busy giving you watered down sweet wine at banquets?" Star narrowed her eyes at him. So he wanted to play it like that did he?

Putting on a nervous but determined façade Star laid her trap. "T-that's not true! In fact I bet… I'd bet you one of your gold butterflies that I can outdrink you!" Marco laughed at that. "And seeing as how you don't have any money, what exactly would I get out of this if, sorry, when, I win?" Star rolled her eyes, "I will acknowledge you, oh Marco Diaz, as the superior drinker, wise and great in all things forevermore, amen. That work Mr. ego?" Star stuck her hand across the table. Marco considered the proposal for a moment. It wasn't exactly one where he had a ton to gain, but on the other hand he was absolutely convinced that this princess couldn't outdrink him. Grinning, he grabbed Star's hand and gave it a rough shake. "It's a deal!" Star gave him a predatory grin. _Sucker_, she thought.

Shortly after the barmaid brought over their first round with instruction from Marco to keep them coming until one of them gave in. As she set the mugs down, Marco decided a show of force was in order here. Without acknowledging Star, he quickly grabbed the wooden tankard and began to vigorously chug the semi-sweet and incredibly strong concoction. Unlike ales and beers made from grains, corn ale was some seriously strong stuff and could put even seasoned drunks flat on their asses if they weren't careful. It was Marco's absolutely favorite way to really lose himself for the night and he slammed the now empty mug on the table, certain that he had cowed his companion into an early submission. To his complete shock, Star was grinning at him with one elbow on the table and her other hand lightly twirling what was an obviously empty mug around her fingers. "Oh I'm sorry Marco, if I'd know you wanted to race for the first round, I would've waited for you." Marco gulped. _I've got a bad feeling about this_. A second round came and went, then a fifth, then a tenth. By now both Star and Marco were feeling the full effects of the drink, eyes growing heavy and speech slurring.

"Heyyyyyy Marco, how you holding up there, shhh, buddy?" Marco waved her off, nearly slipping out of his chair as he did so. "Don't you worry about me, I can keep… *hic* going. This is nothing!" Round 11 came and went, as did round 12.

"Hey Marco?" Star said while staring into the bottom of her mug as if willing it to refill with ale by magic. "We're best buddies, right? I mean, we haven't known each other, like, ever… but best buddies yeah?" Marco nodded his head even though doing so made it feel like his brain was sloshing up and down inside a mug of ale. Speaking of which where was the next mug of ale? Wait, Star had asked him a question! "Star we are **absolute **best buddies. I haven't had this much fun traveling with someone, well, ever!" Star got up and started dancing to a little tune in her head. "Yay! We're bestiieeessss!"

By round 15 Marco had a sneaking suspicion in his gut. "You trick…tricked me, didn't ya Sthaaaaarrrrre. Admit it. You can ale drink, yes!" The incoherency made Star laugh like it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "I can drink…. A whole lake Marco!" Star held her arms wide as if needing to indicate to Marco how large a lake really was. "You needed to be taught a lesson about how aweshome I can be!"

Marco looked at her, "But Star I was already thinking I was awesome… I mean that you were awesome! We didn't have to get this drunk for that!" The combination of the sweet words and the effects of the alcohol made Star blush. "D'awwwww Marco! Hugs!" She stood up and on wobbly feet and walked around the other side of the table before plopping herself into Marco's lap and wrapping her arms around the flustered boy's neck, squeezing them together tightly and smushing their cheeks together. A thoroughly flustered Marco was happy for the contact, but could see some people shooting glances his way and even in his drunken has realized that people were going to say something if it looked like he and Star were going to get amorous in public. Besides, there was a contest to win! "Alright C'mon Star getsss off of me we a'have to keep on drinking! Remember?" Star shot him a grin, "Oh yeah! I forgot I'm totally kicking your butt Diaz!" She skipped back over to her chair and propped her head on her hands, elbows supporting the weight in a V-shape on the table.

Sure enough round 16 came and went and from there Marco was willing he started to lose count, along with any sense of what was going on? Wait, why did he hear what sounded like Star cheering that he had won? Had that happened or did he just imagine that? And why did he feel something warm and heavy laying on top of him? And what was tickling his nose? Forcing his eyes open, Marco instantly hissed and closed them again as a bright ray of morning sunlight hit him full in the face? Wait, morning sunlight? Daring to open his eyes to the world again, Marco squinted and tried to take in his surroundings. A quick glance to the side showed his vest hanging off a bed post and just to the right of that was a familiar looking window that let Marco know that he'd at least made it back to the inn alright. Wait, where was Star then? Glancing to his left, Marco found the princesses' bed empty and a jolt of fear ran through him. Where was she? Suddenly he heard a mumble followed by a soft snore but it was… why the heck was it coming from under his blankets? Gingerly lifting them up Marco's face turned a dozen different shades of crimson to see Star sleeping contentedly on his chest, strands of blond hair splayed out all over the place which at least explained what had been tickling his nose. What it didn't explain was what the heck the PRINCESS OF MEWNI was doing in his bed! He tried to recall what happened at the bar last night but all he got for his efforts was a pounding reverberation of his hangover. "Ok Diaz, water and strong herbal tea first, questions later. Now to just slip on out of here." Marco tried to move as slowly and quietly as possible, made all the harder by the fact that Star was keeping him in a death grip. He'd managed to get a toe to touch the floor at least which at this point he was willing to accept as progress when a pair of sky-blue eyes fluttered open, half-sleep quickly giving way to confusion.

_Well shit_, Marco though. "So, uh… good morning Star. Any chance you could tell me what happened last night?"

* * *

**A/N:** **And that's** **a wrap of Chapter 4! Did you like reading it? Cause I sure liked writing it! It was also longer than I had intended it to be… again. I really need to just resign myself at this point to writing longer chapters that make me blow past my deadline. Or I could plan my writing timelines to actually factor in longer chapters but that would require a level of responsibility I just don't possess. Anyway, this chapter admittedly leaned heavily on some other fiction I've read/watched over the years for some of its biggest themes. I'll be duly impressed if anyone can pin where I took the town name of Tresting from or where the scene with the furs is originally from. If you leave a review or PM me with the right answer to either I'll send you a sneak peak of the next chapter and you'll get a shoutout at the end of Chapter 5. And speaking of shoutouts…**

**Starco4everr: Glad you're still with the story and that you liked Chapter 3!**

**Octarion: That benevolent elder god would be a healthy dose of wine and 16 years in the neverzone. No church membership I'm afraid but we do have a monthly newsletter if you're interested. Glad you like the story so much and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**LordCornwalis: Because any good British lord would quote Churchill. I'm glad the last chapter drew you in without having Star and Marco in it because they're back! Did you miss them? Of course not, because you're too busy writing about them yourself!**

**And that's a wrap for me here everyone. Please, if you really liked this chapter or this story leave a favorite or follow and if there was something you wanted to comment on for better or worse, the review button's always available. I hope to have chapter 5 up before the end of the month…I say even as I acknowledge that delays in writing will inevitably occur but I'm trying here I promise!**

**Anyway, to wrap up, a very happy if belated Passover and Easter to everyone whose celebrating this time of year and I hope that all of you are safe and healthy wherever in the world you are as we all try and make it through COVID-19. My thoughts are with you, and I hope this chapter brought you some laughter which after all, is always the best medicine. So until next time everyone I remain your friend, the Lord of the Storm.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey everyone! Back with another chapter as Star and Marco continue their adventure in the town of Tresting. We left off with Marco and Star waking up in bed together after a night getting outrageously drunk because hey, what's a good story without a hint of spice? And now, the stage is set, and my fingers fly across the keys as I continue to weave the story of our fierce young couple. Just make sure to be quiet though, they're hungover…**

* * *

"So, uh… good morning Star. Any chance you could tell me what happened last night?" Those were the first words that greeted her ears, though recognition and understanding came slowly. It felt like her thoughts were swimming through syrup. Any attempt to speed up this process was met with a loud pounding in her head. The first clear thought that managed to reach her was that she was pretty badly hungover. Never mind how that had happened, probably another royal engagement that had dragged on for far too long, made bearable only by the royal family's near limitless store of ales and liquor. The normal Star Butterfly hangover cure was to sleep it off, the restorative properties of slumber made even better by the knowledge that it would keep the impending lecture from her mother about the importance of sobriety in the presence of nobles away for a few more precious hours. Sighing contentedly, she snuggled back into the warm, and firm yet somehow soft and comfortable surface she happened to be laying on. That was weird, a second thought managing to pass through her brain. She couldn't remember any of her pillows in the castle being quite this consistency. And she didn't remember seeing a pillow in the pack Manfred had made for her when they'd escaped the castle. Maybe the inn they were staying in just had really comfortable pillows? No… that couldn't be it either. This pillow was moving rhythmically, up and down, up and down. "Star….Starrrrrrr." Now something was shaking her. Mumbling her incoherent discontent, she finally opened her eyes and with a start realized that her rather comfy and mobile pillow was, in fact, Marco's chest.

A dozen questions hit her at the same time, most along the lines of how she'd ended up in this situation. The pain of thinking too fast through the hangover and the shock led her to a very natural reaction…she screamed and jumped up. Unfortunately, tangled up in the blankets and the boy beneath her as she was, this led her to come crashing down on the floor in an undignified heap, the bedding and Marco now laying on top of her instead of the other way around. When the two managed to get back into a sitting position, they shared a look of mutually understood pain that only two experienced drinkers could conjure. Star was the first to break the silence. "Marco! Why was I in bed with you? What the heck happened last night? And…owwww oh sweet Mewni ok, shouting bad," she rubbed her temples in an attempt to relieve the pressure, "just how much did we drink last night?"

Marco rose on unsteady feet, gripping the bedpost for support. "I don't know, I don't know, and wayyyyy too much." He moved to open the door. "I'm going outside to the well for fresh water, should help. Then we can talk about what we remember. In the meantime would you mind taking care of all this?" He waved his hand to the pile of bedding now occupying the floor.

"Huh? Oh yeah…totally, totally." Star half mumbled as Marco was already mostly out the door. As Star went to remake the bed, mostly by copying what her unoccupied one looked like, she tried rummaging through thoughts of the previous evening. There had been their arrival at the tavern, dinner, the proposed drinking contest, several rounds, and then… then things started to get fuzzy. For the life of her she couldn't remember who'd won the contest, though she could at least recall flashes of her and Marco stumbling back to the inn, arms thrown around each other's shoulders as they half walked, half dragged one another. And then… and then…. Her attempted recall was interrupted by Marco's mercifully swift return with a large bucket of clear water and two clay mugs. For the next several minutes the only sounds in the room were loud gulps and gasps of air and merciful release and the pair rehydrated. The near ecstasy of the water's relieving chill was made even better when Marco walked over to his pack and removed two clean rags which he then proceeded to dunk in the bucket, pressing one to his forehead before passing the other to Star and encouraging her to do likewise. When she did, the cooling effect nearly caused her to moan rapturously.

Finally recovered, at least partially, the pair returned to the matter at hand. "So," Marco started, "We were talking about last night. I don't know about you but I remember going to the bar, dinner, starting to drink and then… then it gets all fuzzy. Don't suppose you've got anything better?"

Star was about to answer that no, apart from brief flashes of them walking back, she didn't, when she remembered the bet they made during the contest. It couldn't really be counted as cheating if neither or them remembered who won, right? And besides, what Marco didn't know wouldn't hurt him, just his wallet. Grinning, Star puffed out her chest a little. "Well actually I'm not surprised you don't remember with how much you drank. Still, it's a shame. You did put up a valiant effort, but you were simply no match for the great Star Butterfly."

Marco looked horrified. "Wha…no! There's absolutely no way I lost! I would've remembered if I'd lost!" Realization flashed across his face. "And how could you remember me losing but then be freaking out and asking me why we woke up in bed together, huh?" Marco asked in an accusatory tone.

Unlike when they'd met and Marco had called her bluff that she was lying about her identity, Star had a better cover this time. "Look, I'm not saying I didn't have a lot to drink to. I think the throbbing pain in my skull is testament enough. So no, I don't know how we fell into bed. Maybe we tripped or something or just passed out, doesn't matter. Point is, I won, you lost. Champion of the royal drinking tourney to the princess." She even had the gall to stand up and give an ever so slight curtsey.

Sighing, Marco ground the heels of his hands into his eyes. Oh if his master saw him now; wasting money, losing drinking contests to secret princesses, lying in bed with that same princess…ok maybe he would've gotten a laugh out of that last one but still. Feeling at least a little better, Marco stretched until he heard the bones in his spine crack and pop. "Alright, well, I suppose congratulations are in order then." He looked out the window to see the sun well above where he'd normally be up and moving at. Luckily, they didn't have all that much to do today. Marco just needed to pick up a new load of goods for the wagon, preferably from somewhere that **wasn't** Rialto trading, and of course he'd promised to show Star around town. He made to move towards the door, "Wanna go ask the innkeeper where a good place to grab breakfast is? After that I need to do some work but then we should have the whole afternoon to explore the town. I hear the island side has a really great market." He was halfway out the door when a cough made him turn around, only to be confused to see Star still standing by the bed, holding out her hand expectantly. "Uh, Star. What is it? We need to get moving."

"I won the drinking contest Marco." Star replied, one eyebrow cocked as if he were forgetting something.

"Yeah Star, we established that, what's your point?"

"Aren't you forgetting something then?" She wiggled the open fingers in her hand as if to job his memory. Thinking back to the previous evening one more time, Marco tried to figure out what Star could possibly want from him. She'd already won the contest and… oh no. Anything but that.

"Star you can't be serious!"

"I believe **you** were the one who shook hands we me on the terms of that bet Marco."

"I thought we were joking! I mean c'mon, your bet was that if I won you'd crown me the drinking champion or something. What kind of a bet was that?"

"The kind you made… and lost. Now," Star shook her hand one more time. "I believe you owe me one gold butterfly."

"Star…"

"Right now, Marco."

"Have mercy on me."

"Are you telling me that you're a merchant who goes back on his word? Doesn't sound like a very good business practice." Marco was floored, how would she have even guessed that?! Among merchants, aggressive haggling was expected even among friends, and fudging the truth a little bit was fine. After all, any decent merchant should be able to sniff out a lie, and who better to practice that on than another merchant? But promise breaking? That might as well have been up there with murder for the stain in left on you. It didn't matter how insane the deal was, once you shook hands with someone, it represented a binding contract. So, asinine drinking bet whose outcome he couldn't even remember or not, Marco was an honorable merchant. He would keep up his end of the bargain. Sighing resignedly, he took his coin pouch from out of his inner jacket pocket and fished around until he found the coin in question. One gold butterfly, the highest denominated currency in Mewni, followed by silver oaks and then copper cornstalks. The first time he'd ever held one of these things, Marco's master had admonished him to be careful with it, telling him that he was holding more money than most field-hands would see in half a growing season. Last night he and Star had probably consumed a six-course meal and 40 tankards of high-end corn ale between the two of them and it wouldn't have even come close to matching the value he was about to just hand over. Another lesson from his master unheeded, never make bets with anything you're unwilling to lose.

Placing the coin in her hand, Star looked at the shiny imprint of a butterfly on one side and a crown on the other. "Oh wow! It seems so much smaller than I thought! Mom and Glossaryck would always drone on about the value of gold, I expected these things to be huge! So is this a lot of money? What can a gold coin buy you anyway?"

Chuckling, Marco opened the door and jerked his head for Star to follow. As they headed down the stairs and on to their next day in Tresting he said, "You've got a whole day to find out… Estrella."

* * *

One very satisfying breakfast later had Star and Marco walking to their next generation. "Ahhhh, that's so much better," Star patted her stomach contentedly. "Is it just me or does food always taste better after a hangover?"

Marco nodded in agreement, "Oh it always does. Plus, it helped that the guy still had some fresh bread lying around. I never get that lucky when I'm alone, he must've liked you or something."

Star flipped her hair and gave Marco a smirk. "Well of course he did, what's not to like about me? I'm charming, funny, beautiful…"

"Humble." Marco offered sarcastically, earning a glare from Star until the two broke into laughter. They continued on for a few more minutes in companionable silence, enjoying the warm breezes carried by the late spring morning until they arrived back at the street of warehouses, this time at a different point on the river.

Star turned to Marco, "So, remind me again what we're doing back here?"

"Well," he began, "The furs we sold yesterday were taking up most of the space in my wagon. We'll mostly be passing through small villages for a while after we leave here so I'll need something light and that'll keep until we get to a town big enough for me to unload everything."

Star was confused, "Won't the smaller towns want to buy things from you?"

"They might but most smaller places have weekly markets between a few villages. It's a great place to do business if you're in the area on market day but if you miss it…" Marco shrugged for emphasis, "You're basically out of luck. Normally I could afford to wait around if I really thought it would be worth it but seeing as how we're on a bit of a time crunch, makes more sense to only trade in the bigger towns like this one where they've got daily markets and trading houses. Speaking of which," Marco stopped in front of the opening to another one of the trading houses, although Star could tell just by looking at it that this place wasn't as rich as Rialto trading. There were no barges loading and unloading goods on the river, no fancy greeter waiting for them on the street. Peering inside Star had trouble making anything out before realizing that there were no torches lighting up the warehouse interior either. The place wasn't giving her a good feeling but Marco seemed right at home which put her at least a little at ease. "Here we are!" He said good-naturedly.

Walking inside, the pair approached a desk where Marco rang a bell several times, though nothing happened. Just when Star thought that no one was coming, a rather large man who Star guessed wasn't much older than her or Marco came out the door. He had a shock of bright orange hair on his head, his ill-fitting shirt leaving the bottom of his stomach sticking out, and his red-wheezing face indicated he had run to greet his customers… and that running wasn't his strong suit. With an unpracticed bow he declared, "Welcome to Brita Trading! As master of the house, I, Ferguson, am greatly honored by your… Marco? Marco!" Star was surprised to see Ferguson suddenly seize Marco in a bear hug, nearly spinning him around the room as Marco tried unsuccessfully to pat the man on the back, though whether it was to return the greeting or get him to put him down, Star couldn't tell.

When Ferguson did finally release Marco, his eyes almost instantly fell on Star, and before she knew what was happening, he was down on one knee in front of her, hands enveloping one of her own. "And who~ is this angelic beauty that you have graced my shop with today Marco?" He spoke without ever taking his eyes off of Star. Addressing her now, he continued, "My dear, I am Ferguson, master of this trading house. I know we may have just met and I agree it's rather sudden but I think we can work out the wedding plans all the same. We'll just have the most wonderful life together, I'm sure of it." He made to kiss the back of Star's hand but before he could Marco grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.

"I can see you're just as subtle as ever when it comes to flirting Ferguson. It's a wonder you don't have a wife yet," he muttered exasperatedly.

Ferguson either ignored the jab or was too oblivious to have noticed it, Marco wasn't sure which. "Aye, it's a shame. The fair maidens of Tresting seem immune to my charms, more's the pity for them. I just know that someday the right woman will come gliding into my home. It will be love at first sight, and a golden beam of sunlight shall place her in a halo and I will know that the universe has finally rewarded my years of sacrifice!" He seemed on the verge of tears as he finished.

_Poor guy actually believes this crap,_ Marco shook his head ruefully. "Well, if it's all the same I'd appreciate it if you didn't harass my traveling companion."

Ferguson broke out of his daydreaming at that, "Traveling companion huh?"

Marco nodded. "That's right. Ferguson, meet Estrella Mariposa. She's asked me to escort her back to her home up north a ways. Estrella, meet Ferguson. Back when I was first starting out as a merchant, he was one of the few people willing to give me an honest deal. He's been a good friend of mine ever since."

Ferguson shrugged wistfully, "Well~, this place has seen better days after all. It's not like I could afford to turn away potential customers. My good luck that you happened to be worth doing business with in the first place. Either way it's lovely to meet you Estrella, I'm sure your enchanting presence has done wonders for this overly cautious lump over here," giving Marco a hearty slap on the back.

Star giggled at that. "Oh, Marco's not so bad once you get used to him. He's a great cook too!"

Ferguson wiggled his eyebrows at Marco. "Ohhhhh, you're cooking for her now, are you?" he threw one arm around Marco's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "So, have you tried sleeping with her yet?" A deep flush shot up Marco's neck and face as he suddenly thought back to waking up that morning with Star's head buried in his chest. He shook his head rapidly to dispel such thoughts.

"Of course not! She's my traveling companion! A client! Would you sleep with your clients? Wait, don't answer that." Marco held up a finger to silence his friend as Ferguson struggled to hold in his laughter. "Oh, it is just too easy to tease you Marco," he said wiping away a tear from his eye.

"Yes, yes, very funny. Now, if we could get down to business?"

Ferguson nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, of course! Will you be buying or selling today? I don't see your wagon anywhere."

"I'll be buying. Figured it wasn't worth bringing the wagon all the way over here just to bring it back to the inn since we're not leaving until tomorrow morning. You'd be able to have anything delivered to ones of the inns here in town, right?"

The orange-haired merchant threw an arm around Marco's shoulders, turning him towards the building's interior. "I'm sure we'll be able to work it out, no trouble! Why don't you come on back to my office and we'll talk?"

Gently breaking from his friend's grip, Marco turned around and walked back over to Star quickly, pulling her over to him so they wouldn't be overheard. He trusted Ferguson and all but not that much. Star was confused. "What's up Marco? Aren't we going inside?"

Marco rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "Yeah… about that. Ferguson kind of takes a while to get to the point about anything and… well, whenever there's a pretty girl in the room he gets even more easily distracted. I don't want to just leave you out here like this but do you think it would be alright if I went in there alone? I promise I'll try and make it go as quickly as I can."

Star shot him a grin, "So, you think I'm pretty huh Marco?" He growled in annoyance which only made Star's grin grow wider. "I think I can entertain myself for a while Mr. Diaz. Besides," she flashed Marco the gold coin she'd won in the bet, "I've got this."

Marco quickly grabbed her hand and forced the coin back in her pocket. "Do yourself a favor and don't go flashing that around. And don't wander too far from here or I won't be able to find you. If I can't, or you get lost, just ask for directions back to the inn and we'll meet there. And don't forget your cover name. And also…" He was silenced when Star turned him around and started pushing him back towards Ferguson.

"I've got it covered Mr. Safe Kid. Now go do your thing. You still owe me an afternoon on the town, remember?"

"Of course I remember, and don't call me that!" Star's only response was one last firm shove. When Marco turned around to glare at her she just shot him an ear-to-ear grin and waved enthusiastically until the two merchants were inside the trade house. Walking out into the late morning sun, Star took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of the city. "Alright then!" She said to herself. "What's first?"

* * *

Taking a quick look at her surroundings, Star quickly realized that she only had two real options. The trading houses that lined the street up and down the riverfront wouldn't bother with a single customer like her. That left either heading back into the main part of town or crossing one of the bridges onto the island. _Well, Marco did say the island had a nice market, might as well go check it out._ With a mental and physical shrug, Star headed for the nearest bridge a short walk up the street. She ended up crossing slowly, one hand lazily trailing along the bannister, admiring the flashes of sunlight dancing in the swift current. Small schools of minnows moved in graceful units together, occasionally punctuated by a larger fish bursting through the middle as if it had a better place to be. Star laughed lightly at the mental comparison between the scaly creatures below her and some of the fish-like nobles in the castle who had carried the same air of self-importance. She doubted they'd appreciate the comparison, but then again, they weren't around to correct her. Reaching the other shore, she decided to navigate by playing a little game. Rather than seek out anything in particular, at each intersection she would simply pick a direction at random and go that way. It was a small island enclosed by a wall after all, it's not like she could get that lost.

Sure enough, despite several turns that seemed to take her in circles, Star found herself in a wide plaza filled with canvas tarps that served as day stalls hawking all sorts of wares. Behind those appeared to be slightly sturdier wooden constructions with a series of barrels or thin tables immediately in front of them selling food and ale to the ever-milling crowd. The delectable aroma of roasting meat hit Star's nose and despite the fact that she had eaten just a short while ago, she immediately made for the nearest stall in order to satisfy the suddenly reborn craving for something tasty to eat. However, at the first stall where she tried to get a fresh sausage that looked packed to bursting, she was turned away when she pulled out the gold coin Marco had given her and tried to pay. Star was confused, maybe the man simply didn't like her? He hadn't offered any alternative explanation after all. Undeterred, Star tried a second location, and then a third, each without luck. When she gave up on food and finally tried for a mug of light ale instead, the older woman running the place also turned down her money, though at least this time she offered an explanation. Gold was valuable enough that unless Star was going to order most of the food they had available, the stall managers weren't going to take her money. The mere act of making change would probably clean them out of most of the money they had! She suggested either visiting a money changer or shopping somewhere that "spent silver before copper," whatever that had meant. She briefly wished Marco was here to help explain all this to her, but that was quickly pushed down by a wave of self-confidence. She was the princess of Mewni! She would figure it out.

Wandering back out of the market and into the twisting streets again, initial enthusiasm wearing off, Star pulled up suddenly in front of a modest looking two-story building. Unlike many of the other shops which advertised their wares by hanging a sign above the door, this one had several large panes of clear glass. Showcased behind them were several dresses strung out across hooks. When Star approached for a closer look, she found that the rather lovely garments draped across her form in the slight reflection. Seeing herself, Star realized that apart from the formal dress Manfred had slipped into her pack, the set of riding clothes she'd been wearing for the last few days was the only outfit she owned anymore. The dark brown tights and lighter brown shirt were well-made to be sure, and had been comfortable enough for her to sleep in whether outside by the fire that first night she'd met Marco or the subsequent nights in the inn. But they were already beginning to show signs of wear and, phew, could really use a wash. _It couldn't hurt to take a look for a new outfit. Besides, maybe this is one of those "silver before copper" places that beer lady was going on about,_ Star thought. Mind made up, she walked into the store, the light jingling of a bell hanging over the entryway announcing her arrival to whoever owned the place that they had a customer.

Moments later a young girl stepped out from the back of the shop. She had light blond hair kept in a pony-tail and honey-brown eyes, and was actually a little shorter than Star even. Seeing Star, she gave a slight curtsey. "Welcome to _Garments and Gowns_. My name is Hannah, apprentice seamstress. We thank you for your patronage."

Star couldn't help but laugh at the name. "Isn't _garments and gowns_ a little on the nose for a clothing store?" Hannah blushed and sighed. "It was the mistresses' idea. She thought a catchy name would be good for business. She tossed Star a smirk and a wink, "Luckily she's an excellent seamstress so people keep coming back anyway." The two shared another laugh at that. "So," Hannah started again, "what can I do for you today Ms…?"

"Estrella Mariposa, but please just call me Estrella. I was honestly just walking buy and saw some of the dresses out there. They look lovely and, well…" Star trailed off and gestured to her own outfit to finish the thought. Hannah nodded sympathetically. "A rough couple days on the road will do that to even the best made riding clothes. Why don't you come on into the back? The mistress is out right now but I can take your measurements and we can see if there's anything that fits that catches your eye."

Star beamed at the other girl. "That sounds great! Oh I just have one question though, is this one of those silver before copper places?"

Hannah could only reply with a puzzled "huh?"

Star proceeded to pull the gold coin from her pocket. "I tried buying some food or ale with this earlier but everyone was turning me away and the last lady said I either needed a moneychanger or to go someplace that _spends silver before copper_, whatever that meant." Hannah blinked slowly as if trying to comprehend what Star was saying. "You're… not from around here, are you?

Star stuttered trying to think of a cover story quickly, "Uhhh… no. I'm from far away. Super, super far. From a little village you've definitely never heard of. Really~ tiny. South of here. I was living with my parents but…well, they're gone. So now I'm going north to live with my aunt in the mountains." Star hoped it was close enough to the truth to at least seem convincing.

To her relief, and with the tiniest flash of guilt, Hannah shot her a sympathy-filled look. "Oh I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you're not traveling all by yourself with just that gold coin? If so, I know the clothes might not be the best but you should still save your money."

"Oh no, no, no," Star said waving her hands in front of her, "I'm traveling with Marco!"

"I see. And where exactly is this Marco? If he's waiting outside or something, he's more than welcome to come in."

"Oh no he's at one of the trading houses buying… something or other. He's a traveling merchant!"

Hannah had an incredulous look on her face. "Is that why you only have one coin on you? Did he take the rest of your money as a fee to travel with him?! Why that dirty, no good, lousy, bastard!"

Star was shocked by the other girl's reaction. "Woah, ok, take it easy. It's not like that at all. In fact, Marco is letting me travel with him for free. I didn't have any money when I met him. I actually won this coin off him last night."

"And how exactly did you do that?"

Star smirked. "Kicked his butt in a drinking contest." Hannah's face blanked for a moment before she burst out in peals of laughter. "Oh I can't imagine he appreciated that! I've met some merchants before. They cling to those coins of theirs more than their own lives sometimes!"

Star joined in on the laughter. "He was so upset! You'd think I'd crushed all the spirit inside of him. He was all, _look at me, I'm Marco, I can't lose a drinking contest to a girl, blah blah blah_. Then this morning he goes, _Oh please Star, don't make me pay up, I thought it was a joke bet_." Another bout of laughter between the two ensued. It felt nice to be able to relax and joke with a girl her own age, even if not everything she said was strictly the truth.

Hannah was the first to regain her breath. Wiping away a tear from her eye she said, "Well it sounds like you have quite the story. How about we get those measurements, you can try on some stuff, and I'll put on some tea? You can tell me some more stories about your friend Marco." Star beamed at the girl, "Sounds perfect!"

Walking into the back of the shop, Star was surrounded by shelves filled with fabrics that reminded her of the perfume store they'd stepped into the other day, only the variety seemed geared a little more towards people of all classes rather than just the nobility. There were also a variety of outfits in a full range of colors stretched out on racks, laid out on tables, or hanging on hooks in different stages of completion everywhere. A brief cough from Hannah brough Star's attention back to her, as the young seamstress to be held up a length of twine with knots at intervals. "Alright then, now arms up," she told Star. Complying, Star raised her hands above her head as Hannah wrapped the string around her chest, nodding and muttering too low for Star to pick up anything. She then asked Star to hold her arms out to the side and measured those, then her neck, and finally her waist. Apparently satisfied, Hannah put the string back.

"Alright, got that taken care of. There's a few items we have that you could walk out of here with right now, no alterations required. Now, this Marco fellow, what's he like to wear?"

Star didn't understand why that mattered but answered, "uhhh, red," all the same. "Why?"

Hannah proceeded to pull a dress off one of the racks that was an absolutely crimson red. But what caught Star's attention more than that was the plunging neckline that went almost all the way down to the waistline. It was like the damn dress didn't have a middle! "Oh… just in case you really wanted to impress him or something," she giggled.

Blushing furiously, Star nearly shouted, "I'm NOT looking to impress him! And even if I was not with something like that!"

Hannah pouted. "You don't like it? It's a popular fashion among the young ladies at court."

"Maybe the ones trying to land a rich lord, or at least make them forget they have a wife for a night." Hannah laughed at that, placing the risqué dress back on the rack and holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, we'll find something else. You sure you're not looking for your gallant merchant?"

"Would you cut it out with that?!" Star only received another peal of laughter in response. The next dress was bright yellow which Hannah though matched well with Star's hair. Star liked the color, but trying it on was a pain because of the wide bell bottom. There was no way it was going to fit well on the wagon bench and it seemed like it would be a pain to walk around a town in. After that was an emerald green dress that had layered sleeves ending in a black trim. The whole ensemble was held up by two thick cloth straps that went over the shoulder while leaving the rest exposed. Another beauty, but not Star's color and again, she needed something that would look nice but could be worn walking around in comfort. All the while Star regaled the girl with the few tales that she had of Marco since they'd met a few days prior. Lightly edited to keep her cover of course.

By this time the tea was ready and the two girls took a break to sit in a pair of large rocking chairs to enjoy the beverages. The silence between them was punctuated only by each girl occasionally sipping on the warm beverage. Star caught the taste of apples and cinnamon which brought just a pinch of spice to the otherwise sweet concoction. Before long though, curiosity took hold.

"Say Hannah?"

"Mhmm?"

"Earlier, when I said I was on a journey with a traveling merchant, you got really angry for a minute. Did something happen that made you feel that way?" Hannah's smiling demeanor faded into a sullen silence that stretched on for several minutes. Star was worried she may have crossed some kind of line and made to apologize, but before she could gather her words, Hannah finally spoke.

"My whole life I've wanted to be a seamstress. I grew up right here in Tresting and I would see all the noble's wives walk around in their fancy gowns on the way to balls or the costumes everyone would wear on festival days and decided I wanted to spend my life making things that creative, that beautiful. Only problem was if you want to be a seamstress you have to be an apprentice to one. And if you want to be an apprentice to one you have to pay a fee to the Tresting spinners' guild. My parents had enough money to keep us from starving, but not that much, so I figured that I'd just have to give up on the dream. Then this merchant came along, said he would cover my apprenticeship fee and I could pay him back over time. I didn't know any better, I was still a little kid, so I went ahead and signed the contract. It wasn't until I got paired with the mistress that I realized he'd completely screwed me. See, on top of paying him back over time, he was also charging me interest, not from the day I actually started making money as a seamstress of my own, but from the day the fucking contract got signed. I already owed him triple what the apprenticeship fee was by then. Unless I started selling solid gold clothing directly to the nobility, I was essentially going to be his cash cow forever."

Star could only look on mortified as Hannah recounted her tale. She could picture the sense of helplessness, of desperation, she was intimately familiar with it by now after all. "Hannah, I… I'm so sorry that happened to you. Was there anything…I mean, how did you…" Star trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Hannah had a small smile back on her face though. "It's alright. I ended up telling everything to my mistress and she saved me. She paid off all the debts I owed and made it _very_ clear that if she ever saw him again or if he ever bothered me again, she'd make him pay. It's been three years since then and no sign of the slimy bastard." She paused for a moment. "Estrella… I don't know what kind of person this Marco guy is. You say he didn't ask for anything and based on your reaction to that dress earlier it's pretty obvious you're not sleeping with him." She got a satisfied chuckle out of Star's mortified expression, but soon turned serious again. "One thing I do know is this; merchants care about one thing above all else and that's making money. They live and die by those little coins they carry around in their pockets. Just keep your wits about you, alright?"

Star emphatically shook her head. "Marco's not like that at all. Sure, he griped about giving up a gold coin for me but I think that was his ego more than anything. He helped me when I had no one else in the world to turn to, a stranger he'd just met. I know he would never do anything like that to me."

Hannah shrugged resignedly and the two blonds locked eyes. An agreement to disagree then. Rising, Hannah motioned back over to the changing alcove where Star had been trying on her previous dresses. "C'mon, I have one more outfit I think you might like." A few minutes later, Star walked out of the alcove and was absolutely stunned by what she saw in the mirror. She was wearing a dress and tights combo. Chocolate-brown tights hugged her legs while the dress was one solid piece of deep sapphire blue. The front bodice was laced up in front and the sleeves fanned out at the cuffs. The middle was synched with a double wrapped brown belt and continued down until it fanned out into twin tails that cascaded down to just below the knee. The outfit was completed with a pair of mid-leg black boots. The fabric felt incredibly comfortable and the bunching fabric along the sides of the dress allowed her a full range of movement as she sat down in and stood up from a chair and walked around the back storeroom.

"It's perfect!" Star exclaimed delightedly. She threw her brown cloak around her shoulders and clasped the front together, doing a little twirl in front of the mirror. "I feel like an adventurer about to set off on a journey!"

Hannah was pleased by Star's reaction. "Another satisfied customer then." She said with a smile. "Now if you want to go ahead and change out of it, I can get everything wrapped up for you and you'll be all… set…?" Hannah trailed off in confusion as Star slowly shook her head.

"Actually, would it be alright if I wore it out of the store? It feels so nice to be in a different outfit and I can't wait for Marco to see it."

"Oh? And here I thought you were so adamant that the outfit wasn't about impressing him." Hannah said coyly.

"It's not!" Star shouted before continuing on in a quieter voice. "Doesn't mean I don't hope he likes it though."

Hannah clapped her hands together. "Well then, let's get you finished up here then! The sooner you're done the sooner you can show off to your merchant." Star could only shake her head at the apprentice seamstress' insatiable attempts to draw a romantic link between her and Marco as the two headed back to the front of the shop. Hannah was kind enough to wrap Star's old traveling clothes in a neat package of thick brown paper to make it easier to carry around. "Alright, now for the dress, tights, and boots that'll be 12 silver oaks."

"Butttttt, I did give you a great story or two and let you make fun of me wanting to show off for Marco half the afternoon so how about 9 instead?" Hannah chuckled at that. "I guess that merchant has taught you a thing or two after all. How about an even 10?"

Star reached out and shook the other girls' hand. "Deal." She took the gold butterfly out of her new trouser pocket and slid it over the counter to Hannah who swiftly tucked it somewhere behind the length of wood before sliding a stack of 10 silver coins back over to Star. She could hear them lightly jingling and clashing together as they went into her pocket and continuing to make noise each time she shifted her weight around from one foot to another, leading Hannah to remark, "If you're going to star carrying around money like that, better get a pouch to keep it in. Makes less noise that way and harder for thieves to take it off you, just a suggestion." Star nodded in thanks.

"It really was nice meeting you Hannah. Thanks for everything!" Then a thought occurred to the young princess in hiding. "You know… Marco and I are going to be spending the rest of the afternoon wandering around town. You could come with us if you like? It'd give you a chance to see that not all merchants are so bad."

Hannah gave a weak and regretful smile. "He does sound like he'd be worth meeting. But with my mistress out someone has to watch the shop. If she came back and I wasn't here… well let's just say it wouldn't end very well for me." Seeing the other girl's face fall she quickly continued. "But, any time you're back in town I promise I'll have the tea ready and we can catch up." Star brightened up at that and made for the door. Turning around one last time when she was halfway out, she gave a huge wave with an ear to ear smile and headed back into town.

* * *

By the time Star made her way back over the bridge and to _Brita Trading_ it was mid-afternoon. As she approached the store she made eye contact with a suddenly relieved looking Marco. When she reached him the relief quickly turned to exasperation. "Star! Where the heck were you? Did nothing I say about not wandering off or getting lost sink in at all? I mean seriously what were you even doing…" He trailed off as he took in her new outfit. Knee length blond hair now done in a ponytail tucked inside her cloak and new flowing blue dress. Star couldn't help but giggle at his now flummoxed open-mouthed expression.

"Notice something different Marco?" She asked coyly. A blush quickly hit the young merchant's face and he coughed in an attempt to collect his thoughts. "The uh, the outfit. It…looks rather fetching on you." He was refusing to make eye contact with her and Star found it adorable. Maybe Hannah had been a little right and she was showing off for Marco, just a little bit. She really did like the outfit itself after all.

"I found it in this little clothing shop and thought it would be nice. I had plenty of time to shop with you being busy with Ferguson for so long. Did you end up finding something to buy from him by the way?"

Marco nodded happily. "A whole wagonful of lead!" Star wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. "Lead? Really?"

"Well, the next big town we're going to is Ironbend and they always need the stuff. Plus locals could always use some so if we need cash quick I can always get rid of some of it," Marco tried to explain. Star just shrugged, even without knowing him for that long she could tell that this was way more interesting to Marco than to her. Far more importantly though… "So, since you're done. Now we can spend the whole day around town, right?"

"Yeah absolutely!" Marco looked up and checked the position of the sun. "We should have at least another 3 hours until the markets close down and then we can find another tavern for dinner. Somehow, I have a feeling the place from last night won't want us back." They both shared a laugh at that and set off.

The pair walked back over the bridges into the island market and spent the next few hours just enjoying life. Star bought the two of them lunch despite Marco's protests that he could cover it. Frankly she was happy that shops were accepting her money now and… well, she got a little overeager to spend it. After lunch they went to a small leather crafts stall and Star got a coin purse, which she immediately used to hit Marco with after he joked that at the rate she was burning through money she wasn't going to have much of a need for it. Then there was the small jewelry stand with a small gold pin in the shape of a Star. Marco had tried to warn her off from buying it, saying it was too conspicuous, but Star had again flashed her puppy dog eyes and Marco had again caved. He was actually a little worried about how rapidly that was becoming a bad habit of his. He could face down experienced merchants over prices of goods where his very reputation was on the line no problem. Star flashed a sad look at him for five seconds and suddenly he was caving on anything and everything. Not a good look for him.

Star on the other hand was having the time of her life. When Marco was coaxed out of his shell a little he could actually be a lively companion and the two seemed to flow with an almost unnatural chemistry. His constant gripes about how fast she was spending her money irked her a little bit and brought up the unpleasant memories of comments Hannah had made that afternoon about the nature of merchants. But the simply joy of the day managed to drown those out for the most part. The best part of it all though had to be the new outfit. It wasn't easy to describe but when she thought hard about it, constantly wearing the riding clothes Manfred had given her that night in the castle had felt almost like a prison. Like she couldn't quite escape the feeling of being a princess on the run. But now in this new outfit, with a new name, and a friend who really seemed to see her for who she was rather than a title; it was almost enough to make it a paradise.

By sunset the pair had traveled around most of the shops on the island and headed back over the river for a new place for dinner. They found a quiet one-story little pub in the western corner of the city and sat down for what turned out to be a far more subdued dinner than the previous evening, neither of them particularly eager to repeat their drinking contest. Much like with lunch, Star had insisted on paying for dinner as well. By the time that was done, she was just down to 3 silvers in her pocket, enough to buy one of Marco's furs from yesterday she noted happily. The pair were seated by the fireplace with a mug of spiced wine apiece as they listened to an old man spin fantastic tales that had Star absolutely enraptured. Legends of heroes who fought fierce beasts, children of gods, faraway lands where strange and intelligent creatures walked and talked like men and yet were not men, even one story about a princess who could perform magic and used her immense power to save her people. The last one in particular brought a tear to Star's eye, perhaps hitting a little too close to home, even if magic was involved. There was no such thing after all. She was lost staring into the bottom of her nearly empty mug when she felt a comforting squeeze on her hand. She looked up to see Marco fixing her with a sympathetic gaze, a sad smile gracing his own face. He seemed to immediately understand what she was feeling, perhaps because he too had known such loss.

Having finished his rendition of tales, the old man graciously received the polite applause from the few patrons still seated around the fire at the late hour before humbly passing around a cloth bag. Star didn't understand what for until she saw each of the patrons place a few coins into the bag, payment for a night of entertainment. When the bag reached Star she put in the last three silver coins she had without hesitation. Marco shot her a reproachful look as he placed his own, and significantly smaller, sum in the bag before passing it on, but he didn't dare say anything in front of the others. Not that she would have listened to him even if he had. Sitting there completely broke, Star had found the answer to the question she'd asked Marco this morning. She now knew what she could buy with a gold coin.

The pair eventually wandered back to the inn and headed off to bed, separately this time. Sunlight woke Marco early the next morning. Blinking, he could still see the mass of blond hair sticking out above the covers in Star's bed, the blanket slowly rising and falling in time with her gentle snores. The tiniest, most insignificant, deep down in his subconscious part of him was a little disappointed at the lack of warmth from having a second person in the bed with him, but he quickly quashed such thoughts. They had been drunk, she was a princess, and a single misstep could very easily get them both killed. There was no room for even idle flights of fantasy.

A quick breakfast on the first floor of the inn was followed by hitching up the wagon and heading down to the river one last time. They would take exit the city via a barge rather than cross through the island gate. It was another bright day by the time they were fully across and heading north along the road once more, the walls of Tresting now rapidly retreating behind them. Once again in her new outfit, Star was smiling next to Marco on the wagon bench as the wind swept over them, bringing with it the promise of further adventures with this overly cautious merchant. She was undeniably happy, and it had been worth every last bit of that gold coin.

* * *

**A/N: And that's a wrap on chapter 5! What I would consider the last of the opening chapters. We've got Star a new outfit, our favorite pair are off on their next destination, and the plot can pick up the pace a little. I want to thank everyone again who's taken the time to give this story a read through and especially big thanks to those who leave a fav or follow or review. You wonderful people give me the fuel to keep on writing and it fills me with joy to hear people are sticking with this story. One last thing, I'm also doing an on-again, off-again series of one-shots called "Across the Star(s)." Keep an eye on that in the next couple days I received a little challenge that I'm excited to unveil, and that's going to come with its own surprise! With that, some review responses:**

**RJWritingInk: You may guess or call whatever you like, I shall not be giving away spoilers. I wonder if this chapter reinforced your prediction? Thanks as always for the dedicated reading.**

**Starco4everr: 4/4 on chapter reviews! That's gotta deserve some kind of prize at this point no? Either way, glad you liked it!**

**Mr. Spinner: I'm really glad you like the worldbuilding and the characters! It's awesome to hear that you've enjoyed reading the story this much and I hope this chapter keeps you invested!**

**LordCornwalis: The best Starco burn is a slow Starco burn as you've rather aptly demonstrated haha. And yes, I thought a lot about how I wanted that drinking contest to go and decided that sometimes you just can't beat the classics. I'm glad to see you seem to agree on that score! I intend to stay with this story for a long time yet… as if this chapter didn't make that plain, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading it! I shall polish it until it shines!**

**And that'll do it for me here folks so until next time, stay classy!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey all! Back with another chapter here and we'll be taking a short break from Star and Marco for some more time with our favorite murderous lord of Septarsis. Now before we get started I do want to give a quick shoutout to everyone because as of me writing this intro this story has gotten its first 1,000 views! Honestly for my first real foray into any kind of writing I never thought I'd get anywhere close to that so really, thank you all. The support from the community has made this all worth writing. And with that, on to the chapter!**

**Chapter 6: Pieces on a Board**

* * *

Toffee sat on the throne in the great central hall of Butterfly Castle, elbow propped up on one of the arms rests, cradling his chin as the near sleep-inducing boredom of hearing daily petitioners continued onward. The long line had formed right at dawn when the castle had first opened, leading clear out of the throne room and probably all the way back to the castle gates. Worst of all, no matter how many ridiculous requests Toffee had entertained the line never seemed to shrink. The Princesses' former tutor sat on a small stool at the bottom of the steps leading up to the throne, making careful note of all requests and the crown's responses. When Star had first escaped, Toffee had wanted to toss the old man into a cell and question him personally; the man had always seemed to hold an uncommon affection for the young royal and he suspected the old professor would have jumped at the chance to help her escape. But after more than a week of close observation the doddering old man seemed relatively harmless and as royal tutor had an intricate knowledge of obscure Mewnian law and custom, which made him invaluable in situations like this. So Toffee had ultimately kept him around for his own convenience, and had one of the castle butlers keep an eye on him.

The Lord Chancellor's attention snapped back to the line of petitioners as a herald announced the it was approaching the noon hour and this would be the last request the crown would hear today. Sweet, merciful relief was here at last. Toffee rolled his eyes at seeing yet another peasant in a farmer's smock approach the throne and bow deeply before Toffee. Another shit-stinking herder complaining about boundary lines and which insignificant twigs belonged to who? Or maybe the man's neighbor was fucking his wife and he was seeking justice from the royal headsman? It wouldn't be the first time such a request had been made, and it usually provided a small bit of entertainment. Toffee motioned for the man to rise. "Your name, your home, and what resolution you seek from the crown."

To Toffee's mild surprise when the peasant met his eyes, he saw more anger there than fear. Anger at him perhaps? Was his wife a maid in the castle? Had he fucked her perhaps? Also not the first time such a thing had happened. A small payment was usually the custom in most circumstances. Essentially a bribe that if the wife should end up being pregnant there would be no discussion of who the child's true father was. Toffee had undoubtedly sired a number of bastards over the years and a few of the mothers had even come to him seeking acknowledgment of his paternity, likely thinking it would vault them into the ranks of the high nobility. Most quickly learned better, and the rest learned after meeting Rasticore. The man then began to speak, "Thank you hearing my petition my Lord Chancellor. I am Isaac Millerson from the village of Carran and I seek the crown's justice for a band of brigands who have been terrorizing my home and slaughtering my kin. We buried 5 before in their latest attack." Now that did turn a few heads among the minor nobles who hung about the edge of the court. They were all familiar with the various villages in the area who swore fealty directly to the crown as their ruling lord and this was not one of them. Toffee proceeded to confirm as much, having to raise his voice slightly among the background murmuring.

"I am unfamiliar with this village of yours, but I know it is not under the crown's jurisdiction…"

"It's a small village approximately three days ride to the east of here Lord Chancellor," Glossaryck chimed in from his stool. "Under the current lordship of…" he trailed off to sift through a stack of papers beside him, "Count Arlan it would appear." Toffee kept his reply to a terse nod.

"As I said, not under the crown's jurisdiction. I don't know what possessed you to ride for two days to come here but surely you must be aware of the law that petitions are to be made directly to your lord?"

"Aye my Lord, I am well aware."

Toffee glowered at the man's refusal to appear even remotely cowed. "And yet you would waste the crown's time with this? Steal the opportunity to petition from someone who is legally entitled to that right?"

Here the man's anger returned with a vengeance. "I waste no one's time! My village, along with many of the villages near us, have made multiple pleas to Count Arlan for help. And yet what has he done? Nothing! He sits in his manor growing fat and insists 'that he has no time for a handful of half-starved fools eating goat shit in the woods' as he puts it." The low murmuring from the court grew considerably. For a mere commoner to mock a nobleman in front of the Lord Chancellor? This was the kind of gossip they lived for!

Toffee suddenly found himself more interested in the peasant standing before him. "You do realize that openly mocking your lord in the royal court and accusing him of negligence in his duties are grave challenges to his honor? If your accusations prove false the penalty is quite severe."

"A death from the Queen's justice would at least be quicker than an outlaw's blade through the stomach as my village burns around me. I came to state my piece and seek justice for my fallen kin and friends. Will the crown provide it?"

Toffee contemplated the situation. As fickle as the nobility were about their so-called honor, they were even worse when it came to territorial rights. Mewni might have had only one monarch but a lord acting within their own lands was about as close as one could get otherwise. For one lord, even the crown, to interfere so directly in another lord's affairs unless under the gravest circumstances could set the nobles to braying about their rights, something Toffee could ill afford at this juncture. And yet this could also help him with another problem that had been plaguing him the last few days. Time… he needed more time. "The crown will consider your petition Isaac Millerson." The court exploded into fevered shouting at the announcement and Toffee had to shout in order to be heard above the din. "That will end court for the day, chamberlains, clear the room!" Ornately dressed men holding oak staves began herding noble and commoner alike out the large set of double doors that led into the hall, the nobles chattering excitedly while the commoners sighed resignedly to having to wait another day for their petition to be heard.

Toffee rose from the throne and began walking out the back of the throne room, Glossaryck scurrying after him, attempting to keep all of his papers in check. Once they'd cleared the crowds and emerged into a corridor the old professor attempted to start a conversation. "My lord surely you don't intend to usurp Count Arlan's authority within his own domain. The nobles will surely protest such a rash…" Toffee cut him off with a whirl and fixed him with a near murderous glare.

"Seeing as how **I** am the lord here; I hardly require a lecture from you on the rights of the nobility on their own lands you worthless halfwit." He began walking towards Glossaryck, the royal tutor taking one step back for each of Toffee's steps forward until his back was against the wall. Toffee thrust one arm out, palm planted flat against the brick, trapping the man in place. "And if you ever interrupt me again in front of the entire court, I do not care how important or trivial the information or how incapable you are of keeping that fat mouth of yours shut. I will not hesitate to have your tongue ripped out. Am I clear?" Glossaryck could only nod in response. Toffee nodded and dusted off his black doublet as if simply being near the man had someone dirtied the clothing. "You will find Count Arlan's house lineage and the report on the status of his lands from the last royal inspection. They will be delivered directly to my quarters."

Glossaryck bowed so low his saffron colored robe started to ride up. "Yes of course my Lord Chancellor. I serve at the crown's pleasure after all." Toffee turned on his heel and briskly walked away, the old professor staying in the subservient position until he heard a door slam. Rising, he shot a loathing and disgusted glare in the now absent lord's direction before heading to the royal archives to begin compiling the papers Toffee had requested. He couldn't afford to be brazen in his defiance, but he'd be damned if he ever willingly served that traitor! When Manfred had first approached him about a single compiled volume for the Princesses' education, Glossaryck had simply assumed Queen Moon was planning on sending the future ruler somewhere for a while and didn't want her to fall behind on her studies. When some weeks later the book was finished, complete with his personal touch of extra pages for her to write about the adventures she'd go on given the girl's love for such stories, and yet no formal trip was announced, he'd grown suspicious. Less than a fortnight later Queen Moon had died and Manfred had completely disappeared, along with Princess Star. He'd tried to find the whereabouts of the always watchful head servant and his kind-hearted if easily distracted student, but to no avail. Then the Privy Council had announced that the Princess was taking the next two months to mourn in isolation after the death of her mother and Glossaryck knew something was wrong. That wasn't the Star he knew. She would have been devastated by the loss of her mother undoubtedly but that girl was stubborn as a whole team of oxen and wouldn't have run from her duties. Wherever she was, whatever was going on, Glossaryck did feel a sense of responsibility for the young princess. She would need allies when the truth came to light, and so for now he would bide his time, pretend to be a meek errand boy for Toffee, an easily cowed old man, and bide his time. As he'd once tried to teach Star during a lesson on military tactics, the best time to strike was when the enemy least expected, and from a direction they'd left undefended. He just prayed to whatever power might be out there in the universe that the time for action would come soon.

* * *

Toffee wasn't particularly thrilled to hear from one of the castle stewards that he had a visitor waiting in his antechamber requesting an audience. He was decidedly less thrilled to see it was the overly pompous Sir Basil, the Knight Captain of the royal guard, the force of knights and men-at-arms sworn directly to the crown. Garrisoned on the castle grounds, they were tasked with helping to keep order in the city during times of peace and the first soldiers called to rally during wars and rebellions. To be among their ranks was considered a high honor for many of the mid and low-tier nobility, and often gave them an overinflated sense of status and self-importance. Case in point, the man was pacing back and forth in the antechamber of Toffee's solar as if the Lord Chancellor was somehow wasting **his** time.

Upon spotting him the man gave the shortest bow that could be considered passably respectful before immediately launching into his complaint. "My lord, last night there were three more fistfights and one of my men was stabbed! This situation cannot go on any longer, it is simply intolerable." The "situation" in question, was the presence of Toffee's own men in the capital. Rasticore had done exactly as Toffe had bade him when he'd set out for Septarsis, and early in the morning four days ago a column of 500 knights in shining black, silver-inlaid steel had led a group of 2,000 men-at-arms, each with a surcoat bearing the symbol of Toffee's house, through the gates of the city. It would not be enough to take control of the capitol, the city watch was far larger than his new forces, but it would be more than sufficient to take control of the castle in the event a contingency was needed, and it would surely remind everyone who was in charge. Suffice to say the other council members had been furious, but he'd been expecting that. What he had not expected was the damn royal guard pissing themselves about the situation. Given his needs, Toffee had naturally arranged to have his soldiers quartered at the castle, and the grounds only had once barracks. Any crowded environment where men used to violence gathered was bound to have fights break out, especially when drink, dice, cards, women, or some combination therein were involved. If the prissy little shits couldn't block a simple dagger thrust or a punch to the face and then felt indignant at even one drop of their apparently oh-so precious blood being spilled, Toffee didn't see much point in calling them knights, much less granting them a vaunted title like "royal guard." Evidently Sir Basil did not see the situation the same way.

Stepping through the doors into his study Toffee didn't bother to face the aggrieved knight. "I am already well aware of the report Sir Basil, I had the captain of my men report to me this morning. The usual disciplinary actions for drunken brawls will be administered to all those involved and we can all go about or business. Seeing as how my business happens to be running this country, I'm sure you can understand I am quite busy; I trust you will show yourself out?" Forcing the other man to follow behind him into his study had been a subtle reminder on Toffee's part about the difference in station between the two men, keeping his back to him, dismissing his concerns, and dismissing him so fragrantly were rather unsubtle reminders. Still, Sir Basil remained indignant.

"I will do no such thing!" Toffee barely restrained his groan of annoyance, the desire to have the man beaten senseless and dragged away growing by the second. "Our order are the elite guardians of the royal family, one of the most respected in the realm. I will not have my men whipped like common soldiers for defending their honor, particularly when **your** men were the instigators. Surely it said that much in your report…" He spat out the last word as though it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Yes, you've truly shown your deep devotion to protecting the royal family as of late. Forgive me that I've been absentminded enough to forget that for the last four days straight you've come to my quarters demanding restitution for this or that moronic thing and inquired about the health and status of the princess…how many times exactly?" Toffee retorted, still not facing the now red-faced and trembling knight.

"It goes well beyond protecting just the royal lineage!" Sir Basil tried to defend himself. "We are also the guardians of Butterfly Castle, the capitol, and the heritage of our order. We are the first defenders of Mewni and the last."

_Well, no better avenue for attack than a wide-open one,_ Toffee thought. "Ah yes, and you've done such a fine job with that as well. Tell me, during the war with the Kitari, was it heaps of Butterfly Guards they pulled King River's body out from or his brethren with a near dead Lord Horseford still defending him? And in all the years since…hmm, now that I think about it there hasn't been a single war, rebellion, not even a well-organized band of outlaws. Perhaps the whole word is too afraid to raise a hand against Mewni and the crown for fear of the great Butterfly Guard."

"You would dare question our honor or bravery?!" The older man's voice rose to a near reed-like shriek.

Now Toffee did turn to face the man, eyes cold and hard, full of bitter mocking. "I don't need to question it, I try not to waste my time on useless things. Which is why I don't intend on wasting any more time with this absolutely pointless conversation. You're dismissed, Sir Basil."

"You are not the Queen or the regent, you don't have the authority to dismiss me."

The tiniest hint of a smirk appeared on the Chancellor's face. "And yet here I am, dismissing you anyway." He casually rested his hand on the pommel of the sword at his side, thumb idly tracing circles over the spherical ruby clutched at the base, drawing Sir Basil's eye to it. "Unless, of course, you'd care to contest the point? I trust the vaunted head of the Butterfly Guard would be more than a match for the mere Lord Chancellor, no?"

Sir Basil didn't respond, his jaw was clenched in fury, hand wrapped around the pommel of his own sword so tightly the knuckles had gone white. Finally, he managed to spit out, "This isn't over," before stiffly turning on his heel and leaving the room. He offered no bow this time. Sighing in frustration, Toffee returned to sit at his desk. _That could have gone better_, he admitted to himself. The incompetent fool had made his blood boil and he'd been unable to resist rising to the challenge of putting the man in his proper place. The order might have been as incompetent and useless as Toffee had thought but it was still made up almost entirely of nobles and was a strong enough force to deal with his own men. He'd had a plan for dealing with the situation, but now he was going to need the approval of the council to see it through, and that was going to be difficult. For now though, he turned his attention to the papers crowding his desk. For all his hatred at Moon's weakness and the degree of freedom she had given Princess Star, Toffee would give her credit for the information system she had set up throughout the kingdom, albeit begrudgingly. The reports weren't necessarily from spies per say, Toffee suspected that any such clandestine network had likely died when he'd snapped Manfred's neck. Rather, courtiers, prominent artisans and merchants, heads of monastic orders, and, quite prominently, ladies of different noble houses who had been guests of the late queen or her mother before her, all submitted letters every now and again. There was no formality or set schedule to the letters, a purposeful design to help those sending them feel more like valued friends and associates of the crown rather than dull bureaucrats, though plenty of those reports came in as well.

It gave the crown a fairly good look at what was going on in the country and though no one would ever know it, the system had been instrumental in nipping more than one rebellion in the bud over the last couple decades. Though some of the information Toffee found to be just plain useless. For instance, the letter in his hand from some oaf trading house owner in Tresting wrote the same letter like clockwork talking about what goods had moved through his store and asking if the Queen might set him up with a young lady of the court. Or a minor vassal to House Lucitor writing about the upcoming ball they would be having and if the Queen would be making an appearance. Most of these letters appeared to be several weeks old sent before Moon had died. Toffee would need to find a way to keep the letters coming, perhaps if the various correspondents believed they would now be writing to a soon to be Queen Star? They'd want to retain at least the appearance of influence, or at least association, with the crown, and few items could send a message louder than a handwritten letter from the Queen. Of course, as Lord Chancellor that meant he would have to write a reply to each of these people, offer his alleged sadness over Queen Moon's passing, and then suggest that it would bring the young new queen comfort if to continue corresponding with all those who had held her mother so dearly and who she had held dear in return. _I could choke on the fucking words,_ Toffee mentally gagged.

He flipped through one or two other letters idly, briefly skimming the messages in some small hope that one of them might contain something relevant enough to keep him from having to turn to the mind-numbing task at hand, when one letter in particular caught his eye. It was from a doctor living in a village called Doran and he was writing to her about trouble with… "A large group of bandits. They seem more organized than other bands of outlaws who have passed through the area. They started with attacking the outermost buildings, well beyond the village proper, but have grown bolder in recent days, they come almost nightly now. A group of young lads set off with scythes the day before hoping to flush them out. Only one of the poor boys came back and he was so bloodied…" a smudge in the ink let Toffee know that the man had hesitated before continuing the letter, "there was nothing I could do for him. Before he breathed his last, he said there were at least 150 of them, maybe more. We have appealed to our Lord, Count Arlan for assistance but have received no reply. Please your majesty, we beg your assistance in our hour of most desperate need." Toffee stopped reading and set the letter down. Rising, he stalked over to one of the ornate bookshelves dotting the room. "What are the odds there are two Count Arlans in the kingdom?" he muttered to himself before pulling down a thick leather-bound tome. Walking back to the desk and flipping it open Toffee was confronted by page after page of intricately drawn maps, some depicting the kingdom, some the continent, but most were of small, localized areas where even the most insignificant collection of hovels might be found.

After a minute or two of searching he found what he'd been seeking. A map entitled "The Capital of Mewni and its Surrounding Lands" was open before him and, sure enough, there were the villages of both Carran and Doran. Each was marked with a small black dot as were several other little farming communities nearby, each probably no more than a day's travel from the other. Near them was a slightly larger, hollow circle, that would be Count Arlan's manor house then. Further east of that was the Queenswood, the vast untamed forest sweeping in a crescent running from north to south. Interestingly, Carran and Doran were the furthest west, closest to the capital. If they had both been repeatedly hit by the bandits, it didn't bode well for the other villages nearby. But where would the bandits be hiding? The doctor's letter had indicated that they were more organized than usual, but even so the nearest place they could easily vanish into would be the Queenswood and that would take days for each raid. But a group of villagers had gone out looking for them and the lone survivor was back within a day… did that mean they had a stronghold nestled within the villages? There were no indications of additional woods or streams nearby but the cartographer might have thought them too insignificant to add. Or perhaps they had completely taken over one of the villages they'd sacked? Toffee slammed the book in frustration. _Information… not nearly enough information_, he thought angrily to himself. Where the hell was that damn tutor with the records he'd asked for? They almost certainly wouldn't have the exact information he wanted but anything might help. If the Count was collecting mill taxes it would indicate a river, if he'd hanged a man for poaching then perhaps some well-stocked woods nearby.

As if the universe was listening to him, a knock on the solar door led to a scrawny young lad balancing several thick books and stacks of loosely bound paper in his arms. He had explained that "Master Glossaryck" had sent him to deliver these before scuttling back out after Toffee's brusque dismissal. A cursory glance revealed the volumes to each be a five-year synopsis of taxes owed and paid to the crown by different lords, while each of the papers made some mention of either the village of Carran or Count Arlan or the surrounding area. Safe in his privacy, Toffee pressed his fingers into the sides of his forehead, attempting to alleviate the oncoming headache. It was one of the great ironies of his life that for all the power he could wield, the realm-altering decisions he could make on a whim, even orchestrating the attempted kidnapping of the royal heir, that the present bane of existence and hurdle to his goals were endless stacks of paper. He frowned at the image of an endless sea of unwashed peasants mocking him as being little more than a clerk with a fancier title, but then smiled thinking of how he could wipe the cackling sneers off their faces. What steeled him more than anything though, was the fundamental understanding that so many, commoner or noble, failed to grasp. That true power could be obtained only by doing whatever was necessary to secure it. If that meant bribery, you bribed. If it meant murder, you killed. Sending Rasticore out to locate Star Butterfly was no different than him sitting here and dragging his fingers down the neatly ordered rows of tax payments, means to his own power, his own glory. Setting himself firm with such thoughts, the Lord Chancellor continued to work well into the night.

* * *

Toffee attempted to suppress a yawn more out of pride than anything else. The dark circles under his eyes were more than enough proof that he'd gotten little sleep the previous night. He had started pouring over the documents sent up from the royal archives the moment they'd been brought to him and had continued on unceasingly through the night and into the pale grey of the morning dawn. What he would be proposing would take immense convincing of his fellow council members, and for once he didn't think of mocking their intellects or disparaging them as fools over it. As he'd told Glossaryck the previous day, he too was a noble and understood that the privileges and independence afforded to them by the crown were held with a near holy reverence. Hopefully they would see, as he did, that sometimes even the holy needed to be trod upon, or at least set aside, for order and stability to win out. One by one he was joined by the other councilors, and after an exchange of murmured pleasantries Toffee prepared to launch immediately into his proposal when Lord Richard took the lead.

"My Lord if I may, I was taking in the afternoon airs around the parade ground yesterday when I was nearly accosted by Sir Basil of the Butterfly Guard. The man was practically foaming at the mouth in his rage. He feels that the honor of the Guard has been deeply wounded by your lordship's inaction regarding… disciplinary matters I believe it was? I will admit his agitation made it somewhat difficult to understand him."

Toffee waved his hand dismissively. "Sir Basil and I discussed the issue at length yesterday. He viewed it as beneath the dignity of his knights to be disciplined in the same manner as other men for engaging in dishonorable conduct. The matter has been settled, there is no reason to waste the council's time on it." Toffee thought that would end the conversation, but evidently the news had sparked the other councilmembers attention.

"What dishonorable conduct were they engaged in exactly?" Lord Archibald inquired.

"Gambling and fighting… a couple of stabbings too," Lord Raymond offered. "Saw the men being whipped from outside my chambers. Appears the men of Septarsis and the Butterfly Guard aren't getting along as well as Lord Toffee may have hoped." The large man turned his glare onto Toffee as he finished.

_His outbursts have been growing since the Princess disappeared. He was far more docile when Moon was alive,_ Toffee reflected. "You sound as if you disagree with my decision to bring additional troops into the Sperana Lord Raymond."

"Of course I do!" The other man bellowed. "You brought a damn army to the doors of the castle without telling a soul about it. They've been here four damn days and we've already got men stabbing each other. In what fucking universe did you think that was a good idea?!"

Spidervenom took the opportunity to speak up as well. "While I would not use Lord Raymond's more… colorful language, I do agree with his basic point Lord Chancellor. To move your personal troops into the capital during such a sensitive time sends the wrong message to the people."

Toffee groaned under his breath in frustration. "As I have explained **every day now** since my troops have arrived, I will concede that bringing Septarian soldiers into Sperana without informing the council was an unwise choice. However, as you said Lord Archibald, I did so exactly **for** the message it would send to the people. That in these times of transition with the Queen gone and the Princess in mourning, that the council is here to provide stability to the realm and ensure a peaceful transition. Who better than the Lord Chancellor personally to place his own men at risk for the realm? And who better than the soldiers of Septarsis, who broke the Kitari line at the Horns of Akvir during the last war, who helped drive away Andelisian raiders from our shore, who helped push the wood-dwellers back into the South? Surely this shall remind our enemies that even in our moments of vulnerability that we are not to be trifled with?"

"And in all those thoughts of unity and presenting a front of strength it failed it cross your mind that contributions from every member of the council might have sent a firmer message?" Lord Raymond countered.

"Given that the Butterfly Guard is already fighting with just Lord Toffee's soldiers, I can only imagine what an even more fractured force would have wrought. I believe the Lord Chancellor took the appropriate action." Everyone at the table was surprised to hear Lord Wymar speak, much less in Toffee's defense. The man seldom ever spoke at council meetings and even when he did it was usually to voice favor or opposition to a motion. Toffee lightly inclined his head to the man in thanks. The conversation died down after that, which Toffee was willing to take as a victory of sorts. At least none of the others was demanding he withdraw his troops, perhaps taking his order and stability argument to heart. That could make what he was about to propose next somewhat easier.

"With that unpleasant distraction out of the way, I would bring your attention to a far more pressing matter. I trust by now you have all heard of the peasant from Carran and his petition to the crown yesterday?" Toffee prompted.

This time it was Lord Richard who was dismissive. "What of it? The man is well aware of the law. If his lord says the matter is well in hand then he should accept the judgement of his betters and continue on. To bother the crown's time with such dribble, as if we would break tradition and send a royal force into a lord's territory over a few measly bandits." The satisfied smirk the overweight lord wore slowly morphed into one of bewilderment as Toffee shook his head, catching the attention of the other lords at the table.

"I'm afraid the situation is more dire than 'a few measly bandits' as you put it." Toffee reached to the stack of papers next to him and pulled the top one off, sliding it to Lord Archibald seated to his right. "The letter you are about to read is from a doctor in one of villages near Carran, a place called Doran. It is another of Count Arlan's holdings. He documents the activities of this group quite extensively and attests their numbers are larger than normal bands of such criminals. Furthermore…" he trailed off and passed another piece of paper to Archibald. "That is a copy of the local area from one of the tomes in my study. As you will see, there are no great woods in the area around the villages and the Queenswood is to great a distance for stealth, which leads me to believe they are moving brazenly throughout the countryside, unchallenged."

One by one, each of the other lords read the letter and observed the map. Lord David, seated immediately to Toffee's left, passed them both back at the end and was the first to break the silence. "What is the source of this letter?"

"It was among the last pieces of correspondence received by Queen Moon. It likely would have been sent several days after her death, before news had reached such out of the way villages."

"And there would be no reason for the man to lie?" Lord Archibald inquired.

"To what end?" Toffee replied. "There is nothing to gain from inviting a royal intervention into their lands."

"Unless the goal is to provoke a royal overreaction." Archibald countered. "You said it yourself my lord, these are sensitive times. The Queen dead for a fortnight and the heir having yet to make her public debut or be coronated, unwed and without child. And now the privy council is ordering invasions of noble lands on the pretext of wiping out bandits who it turns out were not nearly so fearsome as assumed? The backlash from the nobles would be intense to put it lightly."

"Yes! Precisely!" Lord Richard jumped in. "I mean really, what do we have to go on here? A simple farmer who likely cannot count past ten and what, some half-mad apothecary who's used to curing illnesses with charms and goat shit claiming to be a doctor? Is this truly the basis for debating the violation of centuries of tradition on noble rights within their lands?!"

"Yes…" Toffee rolled the word out sarcastically. "Two peasants from different villages provide similar accounts of bandit attacks and your first assumption is not that there are bandits but rather than this is a conspiracy to weaken the crown in the eyes of the people. Truly, Lord Richard, I was unaware you'd become so paranoid."

The man ruffled up like his pigeon moniker, "How dare…!"

"While I agree the pigeon lord over there is liable to start quaking at the first sign on noble privilege being questioned," Lord Raymond jumped in. Casting a glance over at Lord Richard and seeing the man about to start shrieking again he continued, "And if you so much as squawk about your honor being impugned again, I swear on all the heavens I will bury my axe straight in that skull of yours." Lord Richard wisely quieted himself. "The man does have a point though Lord Toffee. This country gentleman, such as he is, might be an absolute shit of a lord, and I feel for the folk who have to suffer as a result, but surely our resources should be going elsewhere? Finding the princess and identifying her abductors should be our immediate priority."

Seeing Lords Kelpton and Spidervenom nodding along with him, Toffee decided to play the last card he had available. "I'm afraid Count Arlan's negligence has t do with more than just his failure to snuff out banditry in his holdings. I've reviewed the last ten years of taxes paid by various novel houses, and the man has been delinquent every year, and has paid absolutely nothing the last three. Any lord knows that banditry, thieving, and other such crimes cannot be stamped out entirely, and the peasants will always grumble that we don't move swiftly enough to save every last pig or sheave of wheat. But, what will the other lords think when they see a young Queen too deep in mourning to assume her responsibilities and her councilors unable to bring a minor country manor in line less than a half week's ride from Sperana!? Are we to look so weak that we should invite rebellion?!" Toffee finished his statement with a resounding crack as his fist smashed into the table. He could see the thoughts running through the other lord's heads as they processed the new information. The telltale sign of cracks forming in their defiance. Of course, Toffee didn't both to share the tax documents with them, lest they see that even if it had been paid in full, Count Arlan's taxes were pitifully low and the crown would survive just fine without them. That was probably why he'd been allowed to get away with delinquency for a decade now.

Lord Wymar was the first to break the latest bout of silence. "Let us say the council agreed that interference was ultimately necessary? What exactly would you propose?"

"An immediate and strong show of force. We would dispatch more than enough men to crush this bandit troop and once the countryside is secured, they will bring the Count back here to answer for the negligence. We can decide what is to be done with him afterwards. The doctor from Doran indicated there were at least 150 men in this troop, perhaps more, and Count Arlan may try and resist or flee. On top of that, there's a large amount of ground to cover, particularly if the outlaws go to ground. I would say a thousand men at least to be safe."

Wymar continued his questioning, "And the composition of such a force?"

"The Butterfly Guard." Toffee replied smoothly. The other council members were confused by the pronouncement.

"Forgive me Lord Chancellor, I'm not sure I follow. The Butterfly Guard and who else?" Lord Archibald asked.

"No one else Lord Archibald. Just the Guard."

"But… but, that would be the e-entire Guard! You'll have emptied out the garrison!" Archibald stammered out.

Toffee nodded. His face an impassive mask in the face of the storm he knew was coming at his pronouncement. And sure enough…

"Just how brazen can you be Septarian?!" Lord Raymond roared. "You would have us empty out the castle garrison of all but **your** men. Do you really believe us to be so naïve?"

"Try and place your own paranoia aside for the moment Lord Raymond." Toffee sneered at the man. "Who else would we send? The city watch has no experience with stamping out groups like this in the countryside, and if we want an immediate response, we cannot wait to raise another force."

"Then why not simply send some of your own men. As you said earlier, they are here to send a message of stability. What better way could there be than this?" Lord Archibald countered.

Before Toffee could mount another response, Lord Raymond jumped in again. "What say you Lord David? You have been silent nearly this entire discussion. Surely you cannot believe that dispatching the Butterfly Guard to deal with this mess is a wise decision?" All eyes turned to Lord Lucitor.

"I believe that Lord Toffee is right, sending the Butterfly Guard is the wisest course of action." Lord David's tone was good-natured, as if they were discussing the weather.

"What?!"

"Outrageous!"

"Have you both taken leave of your senses?!"

The cacophony of voices from the other outraged lords continued, settling down only when Lord David held up his hands, urging calm. "Believe me my lords, I do not make this statement lightly. I am well aware this will be seen as controversial. Some might even say foolish," he added at the end with a nod to Lord Raymond. "But, I agree with Lord Toffee, as I believe we all do at this point, that the Count's actions merit investigation, and I agree with the suggestion that an overwhelming force must be sent in order to quickly bring the situation under control." The Lord of Helvete paused for a moment as the others nodded in agreement. "As for sending the Guard over Lord Toffee's own forces, we must consider how this will look to the realm. Word travels faster than any army, and the realm would start demanding answers if an army of Septarians invaded another lord's lands, even with the council's approval. I imagine many would find such a declaration suspect. But the Butterfly Guard swears its allegiance directly to the crown and is a storied and proud order. If they were to be sent, it would be seen as brining the crown's justice to bear, free from the influence of any lord. It would also surely bolster Princess Star's, forgive me, Queen Star's, reputation. And so the reign of Queen Moon the Undaunted gives way to the reign of Queen Star the Just."

The others at the table, Horseford, Kelpton, Spidervenom, Falcon, all slowly nodded resignedly. It was clear to Toffee that they still harbored deep concerns about the direction this was going, but they dared not challenge both Lord David and himself. The two men rarely agreed, but when they did it was almost a given that their decision would be approved.

"There is one more thing." Lord Kelpton interjected. "As Lord David pointed out, the Butterfly Guard swears its allegiance directly to the crown. Only the Queen or a regent can officially command them, and at the moment we have neither. We can only make the request to Lord Basil, and as we pointed out when we began discussing this damn matter, he is… not positively disposed to Lord Toffee at the present."

"That would be putting it mildly." Lord Raymond muttered under his breath.

"I wouldn't worry about that," Lord David countered. "I'm sure I can convince him to take up the cause."

"And how exactly are you planning on doing that?" Inquired Lord Richard.

"Lucitor charm," Lord David replied with a smirk.

Seeking to regain control of the situation, Toffee jumped in. "Very well, so we're all in agreement then? Lord David will formally present a request from the Council for the Butterfly Guard to march, in force, to Count Arlan's lands. Once there, they are to subdue the troop of bandits in the area and then take Count Arlan into custody and return him here to answer for his negligence in protecting his peasants and failure to pay the crown." One by one the lords at the table nodded their heads, the decision settled at last. Toffee felt as though he had to physically swallow the distaste of putting this much faith in his Lucitor rival, but if the man really could convince that insufferable Sir Basil… a victory was still after all. "Very well then. Now I believe the next item was intelligence. Lord Archibald, what's this rumor about increased Kitari activity to the East?"

"They do appear to be just rumors for now my Lord. Our informants indicate they are still licking their wounds from the last war and that the hordes have turned to easier targets to their South…" The meeting continued on for another couple of hours until the Council members eventually dispersed for the remainder of the day.

* * *

"NO! NO, NO A THOUSAND TIMES NO!"Sir Basil roared, leading Lord David to sigh into the rim of his goblet of mulled wine. The pair were in the solar of Lord David's rather spacious apartments in the castle. The aging knight had quickly accepted Lord David's invitation for a private meeting when the man had sent the request that afternoon. He'd hope the small fire burning in the hearth, despite the relatively warm late summer evening, along with the mulled wine might improve the man's disposition towards the idea of sending the Guard out, clearly, he was wrong. "If Toffee thinks he can get rid of me that easily he was sorely mistaken. We are not errand boys for his petty squabbles, let him send his own men. I'm sure the damn savages would enjoy the opportunity to run amok in the countryside."

"As I've said Sir Basil," Lord David replied in as gentle a tone as could bear with his rapidly deteriorating patience, "This request is being made by the Privy Council as a whole. I can assure you we have discussed the matter at great length and agreed that sending the Butterfly Guard was the wisest course of action. An order as longstanding and prestigious as yours adds legitimacy to…."

Sir Basil didn't give him a chance to finish. "The council is just a rubber stamp for that bastard's schemes! Playing the other members like fools so they go along with his decisions."

Lord David arched a single eyebrow, "You do realize Sir Basil that I am a member of that council?" That stopped the pacing knight cold in his tracks.

"Errr… Of course I didn't… I would never suggest Lord David that you… what I mean is." The knight struggled to complete a sentence.

Lord David held up a hand and gave a calming smile, "No offense was given Sir Basil, you need not explain yourself. Please, have a seat." He gestured to the chair across from him in front of the fire and waited for the knight to be seated before continuing. "I can understand your reservations Sir Basil, truly. We have all been made aware of the recent incidents concerning discipline in the barracks and the actions of the Septarian soldiers. You can rest assured that I fully support your position that your men should not be whipped like common yeoman for defending themselves. Many of the others on the Privy Council feel the same way."

Sir Basil nodded in relief that he had not just offended one of the most powerful lords in the kingdom, taking a generous gulp of wine from his goblet before continuing. "It is a relief to hear you say that Lord David. I am sure that you also agree then what a foolhardy idea it is for my order to be sent on this ridiculous mission." But the knight was surprised when he saw the lord shake his head.

"I'm afraid not. In fact, I believe it's vital that the Butterfly Guard be sent."

"But…"

"You're only looking at the negatives my friend," Lord David spoke over him. "Consider all that there is to gain from this opportunity."

"I'm… afraid I don't follow my Lord."

"Oh come now Lord Basil. A group of noble knights sworn to defend the crown rides out to slay a band of outlaws terrorizing the land and bringing a selfish and inattentive lord to justice, these are the sorts of deeds minstrels spin endless songs about!"

Sir Basil frowned at that. "Do you think our order cares for drunken cheers of some song spun by a commoner with a harp?"

"Even the best made armor will rust without burnishing." Lord David countered. "It surely cannot hurt to have the love of the common people. And I'm sure many of the nobility will be impressed when they hear that the Guard is active once again. Many fear that their sons are growing soft during the long peace we've had. The opportunity to induct them into an order that actively serves the realm will doubtless be an enticing one."

"Well… yes, perhaps," Sir Basil paused to finish his goblet before gesturing to the silver pitcher sitting beside Lord David, would you be so kind as to…?"

"Oh, of course, please." Lord David filled the other man's goblet to the brim, smile never leaving his face. "And then of course there's the matter of Count Arlan's holdings."

"His… holdings?" Sir Basil asked, taking another healthy swig of wine.

"Why yes. Don't forget the second part of your mission, should you choose to accept it of course, will be to bring the Count here for justice to be served. Given the severity of the situation, I have every reason to believe that by the time this is done Count Arlan will no longer be a count. Something will have to be done with his lands of course. The peasants may petition for the whole of the territory to be granted a town charter, this or that lord might insist it belongs to them by rights, or perhaps… it could be gifted to someone who deserves a proper reward, hmmm?"

"You know as well as I do…." Another pause, this time it looked as if Sir Basil was collecting his thoughts. Three goblets of mulled wine from the private Lucitor reserve could do that to any man, Lord David supposed. Sir Basil continued, "Members of the Butterfly Guard forsake all claims to title and inheritance when they join the order. You cannot give the land to anyone in the order."

Lord David clapped his hands together as if he'd just been inspired. "A gift to the order then! The land would come under the authority of the crown for legal and administrative matters, but any incomes and taxes from the land would be given to the order for its maintenance. Horses, armor, swords, provisions. I can only imagine how expensive they must be." In fact, Lord David knew exactly how expensive they were, and he knew the Butterfly Guard's allocation from the royal treasury was a fraction of what it had been in years past. The realm had been at peace for years now, and even before that, the chivalric orders had been falling out of favor, with the majority having disappeared outright. They were seen by many as relics of a bygone era when war, especially civil war, was far more common in the kingdom. Only the oldest and largest, such as the Butterfly Guard had managed to survive mostly intact, and that had more to do with its proximity to the crown than its reputation or traditions. Lord David could see the gears turning in the now intoxicated man's head as he was likely thinking along similar lines. He decided one last push was in order.

"And, of course, such a gift would be overseen by me **personally** to ensure that the money went to the… appropriate, sources."

"And you would *hic* be able to guarantee this? *hic*"

"Oh absolutely," Lord David nodded emphatically, barely suppressing a smirk as he watched the knight's eyes slowly track the bobbing of his head. "As I said, the other members of the Privy Council believe Lord Toffee has stepped out of line when it comes to disciplining the garrison, among many other recent actions. I'm quite confident that not only will they see such a gift as a just reward for your order's valiant service to the kingdom, but as a chance to make Lord Toffee play the part of the fool, if only for a moment. Something… I imagine you would like to see as well, no?"

"Oh yes! Demonstrably…. No, decisively… wait, desperately! Desperately so!" Lord Basil laughed at his own inability to get the words out. Lord David idly noted that the man had polished off the rather full 4th goblet he'd been given in fairly short order. Best to wrap up the conversation now then.

Rising, Lord David reached out and grabbed Sir Basil's right forearm with his hand, pulling him to his feet as Sir Basil somewhat clumsily did the same to him. "Then you swear on your honor and the honor of the Butterfly Guard that you shall undertake this mission? That you shall take the whole of your order and march into Count Arlan's lands with the authority of the crown to subdue the outlaws currently terrorizing the inhabitants and bring the Count back to Sperana to face the Privy Council in the name of Queen Star Butterfly?

"I… I do. I so swear. On my honor and the honor of the Butterfly Guard."

"Good man!" Lord David clapped him heartily on the back, nearly toppling him over. "And you'll be able to tolerate giving the same oath to Lord Toffee in front of the court tomorrow morning? Presentation is vital for such things, you understand of course?"

Sir Basil visibly grimaced. The mere thought of having to kneel before Toffee and swear any type of oath was nauseating at best. Still… Lord David was right, it was necessary. "Yes. I'll take the vow publicly tomorrow morning."

Smiling once more, Lord David cast a glance out the window and saw the twin moons high in the inky-black night sky. "My, look at the hour." He gently steered the intoxicated knight towards the door. "You should rest Sir Basil, you have quite the journey ahead."

"Errr… yes, quite right." The knight reached the doorway before turning and bowing to the powerful lord. "I thank you, Lord David, for your wise counsel on this matter. I owe you a great debt, as does the entire Butterfly Guard."

Lord David inclined his head ever so slightly in recognition of the deferential bow. "Think nothing of it my friend. Have a restful evening." After closing the door, the now smirking Lucitor returned to the twin chairs in front of the hearth and poured the last remnants of wine into his goblet. He stared into the fire, enjoying the flickering intermix of oranges and yellows. "A debt owed to me by the entire Butterfly Guard eh? I'm sure I'll find a good use for that very soon."

* * *

Unbeknownst to Lord David, his was not the only conversation taking place that evening. "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me this evening Lord Archibald," Toffee said while the pair idly picked at an assortment of dried meats and hard cheese. "Are you I can't offer you anything to drink? There are more than a few bottles of fine spirits here, or perhaps something from the castle cellar?"

"I appreciate the hospitality Lord Toffee but I must decline. I try to avoid drink during such late hours. Though I will admit the food is quite delicious."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. This was carved off a piece I'm told was smoked for ten years, taken out only once each year to be dipped in a salt brine and then rubbed with spices."

Lord Archibald was somewhat surprised by what sounded like enthusiasm in Toffee's voice for the process. "You are… quite knowledgeable about the process of curing meats my Lord. Is it a hobby of yours?"

Toffee scoffed at the notion. "Hardly. But you would be amazed at how many lords can be entertained by a conversation about food. It pays to be conversant in such mundane topics."

"Though I suspect you did not invite me here merely to impart that particular bit of wisdom onto me."

"Unfortunately not." The two men shared a dry chuckle over the notion. "You have done rather well lately as Lord of Spies."

"If you invited me here simply to make a joke about how spiders make for good spies, I'm afraid I've heard them all before and they aren't very amusing."

"I can assure you my compliments are sincere. It's actually why I've come to you, and you alone, with this problem. You recall my report about Manfred and his confession that he had been spying on Queen Moon for years?"

"Yes… and what of it exactly?" Lord Archibald asked hesitatingly. "The man is dead and buried, surely there is nothing else?"

"I'm afraid there is. Simply working his way into the Queen's confidence would not have been enough to orchestrate the abduction of the Princess. Add to that that Manfred was Queen Moon's personal attendant for years and it seems more than likely that he had accomplices, other informants willing or deceived. Imagine, an entire network of rot beneath us, threatening to bring the whole kingdom down. We cannot ignore the possibility that other acts like Princess Star's abduction might follow."

Lord Archibald gave a short bark of laughter. "Forgive me for saying so Lord Toffee but now you're beginning to sound like Lord Richard this morning. Seeing shadows and plots in every corner."

Toffee narrowed his eyes at the man. "This is no laughing matter. Our negligence has already cost us the heir to the throne and all of its accompanying headaches. Can we afford to ignore even the smallest avenues of concern at this point?"

Reaching forward to refill his plate with more of the fine food, Lord Archibald made a vague hand-waving gesture that Toffee took to mean at least slight acceptance of his point. That was reinforced when he resumed speaking. "Even if Manfred had additional spies working with him or informants working for him…. I don't even see hoe we can begin. After all, Manfred is dead. We have no leads, not even a whisper of a rumor. If there was a snake, it appears thoroughly decapitated at this point."

Toffee huffed under his breath. This was proving to be more difficult than he had imagined. "You could at least start with the castle staff. As Queen Moon's personal assistant, he would have had ample opportunity to speak with any of them alone at any time of day. We could ourselves still be targets. And, if it turns out that I am simply paranoid like Lord Richard, I invite you to hold it over my head as long as you wish. At least we shall know we are safe."

"How very magnanimous of you." Spidervenom commented dryly. "Very well, I suppose you're right at least that no harm can come of making a few… discrete inquires among the castle staff. I'll start with those who have the ability to leave the castle most frequently. If Manfred really was using informants to smuggle information, he would have needed to have people who would be out in Sperana regularly, away from prying eyes."

Toffee grinned at his companion. "My thinking exactly. Your wisdom in such… delicate matters is why I have trusted this to you. I have no doubt you will get to the bottom of this one way or another."

"I appreciate your faith in me Lord Chancellor." Lord Archibald made to rise. Now, if there's nothing else the hour is rather late. I'm sure we would both appreciate the opportunity to rest. Tomorrow's court proceedings will be rather long if Lord David manages to…"

"Actually, there was one other matter I was hoping to discuss," Toffee interrupted. Repressing his frustration at not making good on his escape, Lord Archibald sat back down. "And that is?"

"You have a young daughter around Princess Star's age, don't you? Penelope, I believe?"

Lord Archibald immediately tensed; his jaw set in a firm line. "Yes, she's currently at home at Pinewood Hall. What of it?"

"Nothing at all I can assure you. I just remembered that it was intended for her to be one of the Princesses' ladies in waiting when she ascended the throne. I hope the poor girl wasn't too upset about having to stay at Pinewood Hall."

Toffee's attempt at soothing words did little to lower Lord Archibald's guard. "She was admittedly upset. But she is a proper lady and knows how to obey. When I told her she would not be traveling to the Capital, that was the end of it."

"That's good to hear. I want you to know I have every intention of recommending her for the court again once the Princess is brought back and is coronated. I imagine it will be good for the poor girl to have some company her own age after everything she's been through."

"That is… quite generous of you my Lord." The Spidervenom noble said hesitatingly, unable to discern where this conversation was heading.

"And of course," Toffee continued, "it will be a good opportunity for your daughter as well. The connections to the Queen, the opportunity to join high society, and of course… the marriage prospects. I assume she is not presently engaged to anyone?"

Lord Archibald's eyes widened and nostrils flared as if he'd been struck, or perhaps stabbed. "If you think for one moment I would agree to such a match then you…!" He trailed off, unable to finish the thought in his anger.

Toffee sat there for a moment in puzzlement, unsure of what had angered the man so. When realization hit him, he let out a short bark of laughter. "Oh! Oh now that is funny! Rest easy Lord Archibald, I have absolutely no designs on your daughter. I have been very happily unwed all these years, I think I can stay happily unmarried for many more."

The tension slowly drained out of Lord Archibald's face at the news. "I… my apologies, my Lord, for speaking in such a manner. But if not you, then… who exactly did you have in mind."

Smiling, Toffee leaned back in his char. "Tell me what you know about Thomas Lucitor."

* * *

The next morning saw the court packed as minor nobles and other leaders of society, along with the usual crowd of petitioners, clogged the room. As with the previous day, Toffee sat on the throne, though this time the other lords of the Privy Council were also in attendance, scattered about the room. At a signal from Toffee, a herald banged his staff on the floor rapidly in order to bring silence to the room. Rising, Toffee spoke in a loud voice that carried to the back of the rectangular hall. "After careful consideration of yesterday's petition from the village of Carran, the Council has decided to send an expedition to rout the bandits currently harassing their village." A low murmuring ran through the room, forcing Toffee to pause. "Furthermore, for negligence in his duties as Lord, both to his people and to the crown, in the name of Queen Star Butterfly, I, Lord Chancellor Toffee Septarian do hereby strip Count Arlan on his lands and titles, and charge him with crimes against the realm." Toffee was forced to pause again as the murmur now reached a fever pitch. This was the kind of gossip the court lived for! Toffee had no doubt that rumors would travel well ahead of any official word. He signaled to the herald to again call for order.

As silence once again fell over the hall, Toffee called out, "Sir Basil of the Butterfly Guard." The knight in question walked out from among the audience to stand before the throne and gave Toffee a respectful bow. "The Council has requested that the order of the Butterfly Guard ride with its full strength in order to return peace to Count Arlan's lands and deliver the Queen's justice to the outlaws. Will you accept this charge?"

"I will." Sir Basil answered in a sharp, clear voice.

"Then kneel, Sir," Toffee instructed. Sir Basil slid to one knee, maintaining eye contact with the Lord Chancellor. "Will you swear on your honor and the honor of the Butterfly Guard, in the sight of lords and commoners, that you shall undertake this mission? That you shall give peace to those who seek it and deliver justice to those the Council has ordered receive it? Will you swear it in the name of our Queen, Star Butterfly?"

"On my honor, on the honor of my order, and in the name of our Queen, Star Butterfly, I do so swear it," Sir Basil intoned solemnly.

"Then rise Sir Basil, you shall ride at once." The captain of the Butterfly Guard rose, bowed to Toffee once more, before turning and striding out of the room. As he neared the back of the hall Toffee called out again, "That will be all the court shall hear today. Clear the room!"

* * *

That afternoon saw Lords Toffee and David slowly walking together through one of the lush interior courtyards of Butterfly Castle. The warm summer weather left the day pleasant without it being too hot, and the gentle gurgle of fountains mixed with the humming of bees rooting about in flowers to provide a calming background ambiance.

"I'd say that went rather well." Lord David remarked casually.

Toffee nodded in agreement. "I appreciate your help in convincing the Council that sending the Guard was the correct decision. Given my relationship with Sir Basil, I doubt he would have agreed otherwise."

"Think nothing of it. It was the right decision, and all for the good of the realm of course."

"And I'm sure it didn't hurt that Count Arlan was deep in debt to the Lucitor family?"

That brought Lord David up short, Toffee stopping with him. "The royal records on tax payments wouldn't have had such information. How could you have known that?"

The Lord of Septarsis smirked at his ally and rival. "I didn't, but I appreciate you confirming my suspicion." Lord David glowered at the man before the pair continued on their walk. "I assume once this is over with, you'll look to bring a more… agreeable lord into the seat?"

This time it was Lord David's turn to smirk. "In a manner of speaking." Toffee waited for the other man to elaborate but no further explanation was forthcoming. "I'm not quite sure what you expect to gain from having the entire Guard sent out though. They outnumber the bandits at least five to one, if not more. And I doubt Count Arlan will put up any sort of a fight when they arrive to bring him here."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Toffee countered. "The Guard hasn't been involved in a true fight in years, much less a running battle with an enemy that knows the countryside better than they ever could. They'll have to spread out to cover all the ground, and they'll be vulnerable. If this bandit leader has any sense, he won't fight them in the open."

"If the bandit leader had any sense, he wouldn't have gotten so brazen as to cause this much trouble in the first place."

"Perhaps…" Toffee muttered, the conversation petering out until he decided to move on to a different topic.

"Incidentally, I was speaking with Lord Archibald yesterday, regarding his daughter Penelope. He's quite eager to have her be brought as a lady in waiting to the Princess once she is crowned, and appeared rather eager to have a match made for her."

Lord David shrugged nonchalantly. "As all fathers are, what of it? He's a member of the Privy Council and a wealthy lord, surely he'd have no trouble finding a suitable match."

"I agree. I only mention it because he confided in me that he intends to pursue a match with young Thomas."

Lord David shook his head at that. "Then he is an even greater fool then I thought. After all the work I did trying to get Queen Moon to agree to the match…"

"Evidently the Princesses' rather… emphatic… rejection of young Thomas has led him to believe other matches might be available."

"That damn son of mine is truly an idiot," Lord David said frustratedly, forgetting for a moment who he was speaking with. Composing himself he turned to Toffee. "Such a match would also ruin our… understanding, regarding the future governing of the crown."

"Which is why I labored so hard to try and dissuade him from the notion. Unfortunately, he appears set on the course now."

"Then I will speak with him directly and help him see the error of his ways."

Toffee interjected, "Perhaps it would be better if I spoke with him instead. He was willing to approach me about the idea, perhaps he values my counsel. And much like your conversation with Sir Basil, I imagine it would be good for him to hear it from a more… agreeable source."

Lord David seemed to consider it for a moment. "Very well. So long as you make it clear there is no chance of a match or of us tying our houses together. I may bear the fool no ill will but we are Lucitors, and I intend to see our line bound together with the Butterflies. In any case, I am taking my valets on a hunt, they will be expecting me at the gate soon. You swear that you will take care of the situation?"

"Of course Lord David. Our interests on the matter could not be more intertwined."

"Very well then." Lord David gave a bow to Toffee. "Enjoy the rest of your day Lord Chancellor."

Toffee returned the bow, "And a good hunt to you Lord David."

As the man turned and walked back into the castle, Toffee allowed himself to smile. "I absolutely swear I will take care of the situation… on **my **honor."

* * *

**A/N: And that's a wrap on that chapter! Woo, what a ride! Politics in the capital is starting to get a little more intense as Toffee and David Lucitor jockey for power around an empty throne. I hope it was an enjoyable read for you all! Sorry by the way it took a month and a half to get this out. You would think quarantine would give me ample time to write and yet the abundance of free time seems to have only distracted me more!**

**Now, before I get on to the review reply. Take a look up in the top left corner where the fic title is. Notice anything different? Maybe you've already seen it on Deviantart or Reddit but as of now I am OFFICIALLY unveiling My Life, My Kingdom, My War's cover art! An absolutely massive shoutout to the one and only Ronald Regan, author of "Forgotten Ventures" and co-author of "The Once and Future Queen" for bringing my precious story to visual life. Ronald, I cannot tell you how great it is to have something like this, a million thank you's wouldn't be enough, but I hope it gets the sentiment across. Ok, now on to some review replies!**

**Mr. Spinner: I'm so glad to hear you've been enjoying the story thus far! Here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy this one just as much. Curious to hear your thoughts on how this one turned out**

**ROTHEM: Glad you liked it! Been a pleasure talking with you lately about your work!**

**Viceversa96: Starco 20 chapters from now? Phew… that would be a slooowwww burn. Do I look like Disney to you? Haha. But hey, I'm really glad you and your wife both like the story and that it's helped as an inspiration for "Lingering Baggage" which has been awesome by the way! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.**

**Starco4everr: Thank you as always! Glad you're still enjoying it.**

**RJWritingInk: True, our duo does need to move fast. But if I move them too fast they won't have time to have all the cute adventures that will help sell you on the idea that they're going to sleep together. Gotta maintain that delicate balance you know? But hey, glad you're still enjoying the story (I hope) and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter!**

**lordcornwalis: A fluffy blanket huh? I'll take it! I'm glad to hear that chapter 5 was your favorite so far, it was definitely one of my favorites to write. And once more, I have to thank you for your props on my non-magic AU. Looking forward to seeing your next works and your thoughts on this chapter!**

**PotatoLord73: Here! It went here! Welcome to the story and thank you for leaving a review! I hope you liked this chapter and that this fic continues to entertain you.**

**octarion: I'm glad you like the long chapter thing because that helps absolve me (somewhat) of my terrible guilt at how long it takes to put these chapters out in the first place. No passport required but you do have to hogtie Hekapoo without blushing so good luck with that challenge! Glad you thought drunk Star was adorable, trust me, that won't be the only time you see her. As to your "friend's" question, yes, I imagine there will be at some point. Not saying when but rest assured there will be a big ass sign at the top of the chapter when it shows up.**

**Lastly, as always I want to give a big general thank you to everyone who has given this story a favorite and/or follow. It's been a joy to see those numbers go up as people give this story a read and decide its worth getting on the ride and seeing where it takes you. It helps inspire me as an author, as do all your reviews and messages offering feedback, praise, and suggestions. We'll be going back to Star and Marco next chapter and sticking with them for a while, but before I get started on that there's a small project I'm working on that I at least want to lay the groundwork for so keep an eye on my profile for that in the coming days.**

**And until next time everyone, stay classy.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: What's up everyone! Back with the next chapter of My Life, My Kingdom, My War. It was nice to take a couple week break from writing this to focus on some side projects, chat it up with a few friends, and work on some non-Star vs writing believe it or not. But you're not here for that, you're here for a Star vs. story and for that I have good news! This chapter, and the next couple chapters after it, will be all about our dynamic duo. So, if you've been craving a break from Toffee's political maneuvering and just want to see more of our favorite dorks, here you go! And with that, on to the chapter!**

**Chapter 7: Lighten up Safe Kid!**

* * *

Marco was breathing heavily, desperate to fills his lungs with the air his body craved as he continued to push forward. Hips worked rapidly, his eyes rolling around and taking in the world around him in a semi-focused way, too much adrenaline pumping through his veins; it was keeping him from focusing properly. One thing he could focus on though was the feeling of hot breath lapping along his neck, and the equally frantic panting of the girl it was coming from. Marco's eyes focused briefly on her face. A thin sheen of sweat had plastered her bangs to her forehead, the rest of her hair tied in an elaborate braid that swung rhythmically behind her as her own body moved rapidly. But it was her face that drew Marco's eyes the most. Her normally deep blue eyes were closed in rapture, a red blush covered her cheeks, managing to break through despite the heavy layer of makeup placed there to hide her telltale heart shaped birthmarks. As their hips continued to move in sync with one another, a beam of moonlight caught her face and in a moment of clarity Marco could admit the disguised princess he was supposed to be escorting to safety truly was a beautiful young woman. It was the kind of moment that one rarely captured in all of its clarity, but when it occurred, it seared itself into one's brain, forever preserving the memory.

Sadly, any magic of the moment was shattered by the hoarse shouts of the drunken men chasing them as Marco, running for his life with Star in tow, while she **laughed** of all things! "You just had to cheat them at dice, didn't you Star!?" Marco shouted, trying to face her with an angry look while also keeping an eye on the twisting maze of back alleys they were running through lest he lead them to a dead end. All he got in response was another peal of laughter. She was clearly having the time of her life, Marco thought. Meanwhile, he was starting to get a serious cramp and his body subconsciously started slowing down in an effort to alleviate the pain before a shout from one of the men, "I'm going to shove my knife so far up your as you'll be shitting blood for a week you damn bastard!" spurred he to greater speeds than he'd ever known himself capable of.

Suddenly, off to his left Marco saw their salvation at hand. A narrow alley, the entrance almost completely obscured by debris and refuse. The perfect place to hide. Pulling Star along with him, Marco half leapt into the passage, dragging the two of them further in until they were completely obscured by the shadows cast by the overhangs above. He even pushed Star against the wall and covered her body with his own for good measure, hoping that the mottled brown of his traveling cloak would help conceal them. When the sound of pounding feet indicated their pursuers were coming up on their hiding place, Marco did his best to curb his breathing from panting exertion to shallow breaths, as if the very sound of air entering and exiting his body would give away their location.

The footfalls came to a sudden stop and Marco dared to glance over to see the group of men, about a half-dozen in total, milling about just outside the alley entranceway. The drunk belligerents were clearly confused about how the pair could have escaped so quickly, as Star and Marco hadn't been able to shake them since they'd first run out of the bar. Marco sent up a silent prayer to the universe that they would just move on and leave. Straining his ears, he was disappointed that he could only pick up unclear mutterings among the group, but frustration soon turned into relief when, after what felt like an eternity, the men continued to run ahead, having apparently convinced themselves that the young troublemakers had simply put on a burst of speed and gotten ahead of them. Marco let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, before turning his full attention back to the person responsible for getting them into this mess in the first place.

Star decided to strike first though. "Honestly Marco, dragging me into a dark alley and looming over me while my back is against the wall. There are subtler ways of flirting with a girl you know," she finished with a sultry tone, hoping to get a rise out of the boy. Unfortunately for her though, Marco wasn't in the mood.

"What the actual fuck Star?! You really had to pick the biggest, meanest group of drunks in the bar to cheat at dice? Why did you cheat them at dice? Actually, go back even further, where did you learn to cheat at dice?!"

Seeing her attempt at moving past the conversation by flirting fail, Star sighed in frustration. "You mind giving me a little breathing room before the interrogation Marco?" Where Star's attempts at flustering the boy had failed, evidently realizing his own compromising position did the trick and Marco jumped back, a blush noticeably blooming on his face as the red contrasted with the inky darkness of the alley. A quietly murmured "sorry" soon followed.

Dusting herself off, Star continued. "First off, I picked those guys because they were the only ones who would be willing to play with us. Second, they were only willing to play with us because they were going to cheat, which cancels out my cheating since it doesn't really make it cheating, it just makes me better at playing crooked dice. Third, I grew up in a castle with a lot of guards who got paid pretty well and didn't exactly have a ton to spend it on, so of course they ended up gambling with it. When I would sneak down to the practice grounds to watch the knights spar or wander into the barracks a lot of the guards were happy to teach me. I think they saw it as a point of pride, educating the future Queen of Mewni. After all, 'winning with loaded dice takes cunning, skill, and brains, and a queen should have all three,'" she finished doing what Marco assumed was an impression of a guard. He made to reply but Star stopped him again. "And before you even think about saying anything, I don't recall you complaining when all my winning paid for dinner, drinks, and then some more drinks. It's not my fault we got caught."

"You drank so much you started tossing the dice around to show that they'd always land on whatever you wanted them to and then showed everyone the weighted edges." Marco deadpanned.

"Alright… yeah," Star admitted. "But hey, it all worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"We got run out of the bar and had six guys trying to beat the crap out of us!"

"I don't know about you but I seem to have emerged thoroughly unbeaten." Star retorted.

"They threatened to shove a knife up my ass!"

Star put a hand to her chin and bent over slightly, humming slightly as she pretended to stare intently at Marco's butt. "Doesn't look like there's a knife up there to me." Star concluded.

"Quit staring at me like that!" Marco shouted, another blush coming to his face, causing Star to laugh.

"Look, we had fun, got some drinks in, and managed to get away free and clear after swindling some cheaters out of their money to get dinner. That place had great trout by the way, you really weren't kidding about trying it…."

"Stay on track Star," Marco muttered sarcastically.

"My **point**," Star enunciated the word, "is that you worry too much. It all worked out in the end, didn't it? So, let's go enjoy the rest of the night! Maybe we can get the next round of drinks free too! How good are you at cards?"

"Star… they're not going to let us back into the bar after all that trouble." The young princesses' face fell somewhat at hearing that, but surely there was another… "And that's the only bar in town." Star's face broke into full on despondency at that. It tugged at Marco's sympathies, but he hid it behind a stoic mask as he turned and began making his way out of the alley, Star slowly following behind him, much of the energy now drained out of her. It didn't take Marco long to crack after he heard the first sniffle as the pair made their way back to the small inn they were staying at.

With a resigned sigh he pulled out a small tin flask from one of his cloak pockets, the sound of liquid sloshing around inside causing Star to look up at the source of the noise and then to Marco in questioning. "My emergency flask," he said by way of explanation. "Just in case I really need a drink or really need to offer one to someone. I filled it up with the brandy you were having during round five. So… here," he finished as he handed the flask over to Star who was looking at it like Marco had just offered her a priceless gift.

Taking a deep pull, Star smacked her lips appreciatively. "Wow that stuff really hits the spot! I take back almost all the bad things I've ever said about you snoring."

"For the last time I don't snore!" Marco shouted.

"Then a bear is clearly following us everywhere we go and has decided to break into and sleep in our room every night. Can't imagine how that could have happened." Despite the barb, Star was still smiling and passed the flask back to Marco who took a healthy swig of his own.

"Maybe it's following the trail of all those honey dipped pastries you keep insisting we get in every town we pass through. Seriously, don't you ever get tired of those?"

Star gasped in mock horror, one hand covering her mouth while the over was clutched over her heart. "You leave my wonderful honey pastries out of this, you fiend!" The illusion was broken when the hand over her heart was quickly unclenched and instead gesturing for the flask once again, causing the pair to devolve into bouts of tipsy laughter. By that point, they had reached the main town plaza, lit only by a few lanterns and the occasional late night candle burning in a still open window. A large fountain gurgled peacefully in the center. Marco paused for a moment, enjoying the taste of the cool night air and the gentle twinkling of the stars above him.

He was pulled from his serenity when Star suddenly spoke up. "Hey… I'm sorry about getting us kicked out of the bar. I mayyyy have gotten a little carried away when I started showing off how I cheated in the first place. Cost us the rest of a good night, and your emergency stash."

Marco shook his head lightly, offering a gentle smile in return. "Nothing to apologize for. I guess… it actually was a pretty fun time in the end. It was nice to see the look on that one guy's face when you took him for literally everything he had. Speaking of, what did you end up doing with his belt anyway?"

"Pretty sure I ended up leaving it at the bar when we ran out of there."

Laughing, Marco shrugged. "Oh well. Point is, apart from the whole running for our lives bit, it was definitely some of the best fun I've had in a while. And seriously, don't worry about the emergency stash. I'd say being kicked out of the only bar in town when we're trying to enjoy a night out qualifies as an emergency. Wouldn't you agree?"

Giggling, Star nodded. "Absolutely. Definitely an emergency."

"See?" Marco spread his arms for emphasis. "Nothing to worry about then."

Rushing forward, Star barreled into Marco, wrapping her arms around his chest and saying "Hugggsssss." Chuckling, Marco brought his arms around the girl's slim body. He'd been admittedly… uncomfortable and confused by Star's near constant moments of physical affection. At first, he'd just chalked it up to her trying to soften him up when she wanted something. But after two weeks in near constant company with her Marco realized it was just a part of who Star was. She got overexcited about damn near everything and often physically acted out her appreciation when things went her way or had a happy outcome in general. Case in point as it felt like she was currently trying to break his spine. Marco smiled down at Star from where the top of her head came to rest just underneath his chin, but also made sure to look away and roll his eyes in exasperation when she looked up at him. He had to maintain some degree of aloofness after all; he didn't want Star to see the kind of power she could wield over him. He had his pride as a merchant to think about after all! Of course… Star also noticed Marco didn't move to end their embrace until she was done.

Separating herself from the young merchant, Star did a little twirl before pirouetting to face Marco, hands clasped behind her back. "So, back to the inn then?"

Marco nodded. "Yeah, it would be a good idea to get some sleep. We're leaving town tomorrow and we still have a ways to go before we hit Ironbend. I want to at least try and make good time." The pair set off through the remainder of the plaza and back towards their room for the night.

There was a companionable silence between the two as they walked. Casting a glance over at Marco, Star reflected on how fast time had seemed to fly in the two weeks since she'd escaped Butterfly Castle. They had passed through a number of small towns and farming villages like this one since they'd left Tresting, following the winding road through the countryside as it slowly bore them north. Marco had shown Star how to pitch a tent, start a fire, and even how to make his everything stew! Star was still adamant that Marco's tasted better though so he took care of most of the cooking. She'd learned that Marco had named his horse Bavieca, after the famous horse of a legendary Andelisian warrior, and had laughed when Marco had admitted he didn't know why the horse was so famous. She felt freer than she had her entire life, and Marco was by her side constantly through it all. Whenever they talked to people, he still introduced them as traveling companions, but to Star, he'd rapidly become her best friend. Plus, he was just so much fun to tease! Like that joke earlier about checking his butt for a knife. Star almost burst out laughing again just thinking about it. Plus, he was cute, it didn't do any harm for Star to have a look at that, right? Now if she could just get him to lighten up sometimes! He was still always so insistent on getting up and moving early in the morning, far too early in Star's opinion, and kept admonishing her for things. 'Star, don't spend an entire silver on beer in one night. Star, don't eat an entire bag of honey treats in one go, you'll get sick. Star, stop jumping off the wagon to pick wildflowers.' Honestly, Marco and her mom probably would have gotten along famously. They were both young and traveling on the road, shouldn't they at least take a little time to enjoy it?

Star's musings carried her through the door of the inn and up the stairs to their shared room, only ending once she'd sat down on her bed and started to automatically pull off her boots as Marco tried to get her attention. "Star… Starrrrrr?... Star!"

"Huh?" Star's head snapped up. "Sorry Marco, what were you saying?"

Marco had already pulled his shoes off and was in the middle of neatly folding up his vest, placing it on top of the small dresser in the room. "I was asking if you were going to bed yet or if you wanted me to leave the candle going?"

"Oh…" Star thought about it for a moment. "Leave it burning, I want to get some writing in before I go to bed."

"Alright then…" Marco yawned while stretching his arms out above his head before starting on the buttons of his shirt. "I'm exhausted though so I'm going to call it a night. Try not to stay up until sunrise again."

"One time! That happened one time!" Star said indignantly, earning a laugh from Marco.

"Goodnight Star," he said facing away from the lit candle and sliding under the blanket, shirt now casually hanging off one of the pegs at the foot of the bed.

"Night Marco," Star replied as she rummaged through her bag before pulling out the massive tome Glossaryck had given her along with a quill pen and an ink well. Star's old teacher had apparently snuck the tome into the bag Manfred had given her, leaving Star wondering if he'd known about the plan to spirit her away all along. It contained multiple chapters on the history of the reigns of the different Butterfly queens and Mewni in general, along with what Star considered to be endless wasted space full of lessons on proper court etiquette and behavior. But it was the back of the book that held Star's favorite section by far. A perfect copy of the map Glossaryck had had hanging in the room where Star had received her lessons, and a ream of blank pages for her to write down her own adventures. Star hadn't been able to add anything to it the first few days she'd been traveling with Marco since she didn't have anything to write with, but he'd happily bought her some supplies from some accounting shop's surplus materials and Star had spent part of nearly every night they'd stayed in a town since writing. First catching up on all that she hadn't been able to write in the first, hectic days, and then after she'd caught up, logging everything that happened the day of. She'd also taken some time to write her thoughts on anything that struck her fancy. Funny moments from her childhood, her first crush, a handsome young knight who's name she never got to learn and so had dubbed him Sir Dashing, and anything else she felt like. The night Marco had teased her about when she had stayed up until morning, she had been writing down the story of how her parents had met. Apparently, her mom hadn't been too impressed the first time!

Dipping the quill in the ink well, she tried to find the little village they were in on the map but couldn't locate it. That had been the case for a lot of the small places they'd passed through the last few days. Too small to be listed on a map of the whole kingdom, even one as detailed as Glossaryck's. It was a little annoying to Star, and sad too for a reason she couldn't quite put her finger on. Thankfully, she'd found a system for handling these sorts of things, writing a little number "14" just to the north of where she'd written a number "13" alongside the line on the map denoting the road north from Tresting towards Ironbend. Numbers 1-12 were also clearly written out on the map. Star was sure if Glossaryck could see it he'd be horrified be her ruining his beautiful creation, but Star had a good reason for it. At the top of any of her entries about a particular place she'd written down the same number. That way, she'd never forget where a story had happened. She'd been rather proud of herself for coming up with the idea, and had been even happier when she showed it off to Marco who also praised the system. Turning to the next blank page, she let the quill rest in the inkwell for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. After all, there was the question of where to begin. Deciding the best course of action was to just let her mind go blank and spill her thoughts onto the page, she began with a flourish. _Tonight, I had to check Marco's ass to make sure no one had shoved a knife up there. It all started when Marco decided to be stingy and not splurge for a third round of corn ale…_

* * *

Marco cracked one eye open, scanning the room to find the source of whatever had pulled him from the rather nice dream he'd been having of buying an entire gem consortium and punishing the offending person or object. As consciousness and its accompanying awareness slowly filled the boy, said offending source made itself known in the form of soft snores reaching his ears that were clearly not his own and a pressure on his chest far greater than the weight of the blankets he'd pulled over himself the previous evening when he'd gone to bed. A quick, slight lifting of his head off the pillow to see the shock of blond just peeking out from under the covers confirmed his suspicions. Yep… Star was sleeping on top of him again. He'd told himself repeatedly after the first time this had happened in Tresting that it had been a fluke. They'd both been so drunk that neither of them could remember even getting back to the inn, much less how they'd ended up in bed together. And, at first, that seemed to be accurate. They'd gone to bed sober their second night in Tresting and had woken up in their respective beds, and the next few nights had been spent curled in sleeping rolls by a fire wherever they'd stopped to make camp for the night.

Then, after four straight nights of sleeping on the hard-packed earth, they'd finally arrived at a small town that had room available. The minute they'd entered the room Star had flung herself onto her bed and loudly proclaimed that she was never getting up. Truth be told, Marco couldn't exactly blame her. As comfortable as he tried to make the bed rolls, and as much as he tried to soften the ground they were sleeping on by having Bavieca stomp on the ground first, multiple nights in a row on the ground could break the will of even the toughest of travelers. Under different circumstances, Marco might have had them both sleep in the wagon bed, but that would have meant forgoing a fire, and autumn appeared to be approaching quickly this year. The nights were already growing chillier than they had been a couple weeks ago, and the sun seemed to be taking longer to burn off the morning dew and fog. But Marco was distracting himself with his tangent about the weather.

Happy to finally get some relief for their sore muscles after being on the road, and admittedly with some puppy-dog eyes on Star's part, Marco had finally relented and decided to loosen his purse strings for a night of celebration. Which had meant quite a bit of drinking. Which had turned into yet another incident where the pair had woken up in bed together with no recollection of how they'd gotten there followed by a very rapid, and admittedly awkward, pat down of clothing to make sure that nothing **else** had happened while they were being so free with their sleeping arrangements. Marco had sent a silent prayer of thanks to the universe that nothing had happened. He was a commoner who was already running around the country with the crown princess in tow and in disguise. If he'd somehow managed to take her virtue and people found out… it would be a quick execution if he were lucky. Star's reaction didn't make it any better. Whereas he'd been freaking out, justifiably in his opinion, Star seemed fairly nonchalant about the whole thing. She'd said that so long as nothing else happened it wasn't that big of a deal. They were around each other constantly and were already sharing a room together every night. If they wound up falling into the same bed on nights where they were particularly drunk, did it really matter? Marco had countered that they weren't just ending up in the same bed, they were cuddled up together, or more accurately that she kept cuddling up to him. That's when Star had gotten angry and started yelling at him for being too cautious. Who was going to come into the room to catch them anyway? And even if someone did, nobody knew she was anyone other than Estrella Mariposa, traveling companion to a merchant. When Marco had tried to press his viewpoint one last time Star ended up saying that "she wasn't in the mood for a lecture today, safe kid," and had stormed out of the inn, leaving Marco feeling stung. They didn't end up speaking to each other the rest of the day before finally making up at dinner that night, again promising that this wouldn't happen again.

That promise ended up lasting all of two days. They'd arrived in a small farming community where there was a small inn but the stable had unfortunately burned down in an accident recently and the owner hadn't found the time to build a new one yet. Thankfully, an older farmer had offered to stable Bavieca and store the wagon, but only if Star and Marco would help him moves sacks of ground flour into a barn for storage. The pair had agreed, the man seemed nice enough and they didn't exactly have a ton of other options. Unfortunately, it turned out there was far more flour than either of them had been expecting and it weighed a ton! Seriously, it was ground up wheat, how could it be so heavy?! The backbreaking work had left them both exhausted and they both stumbled into the room skipping a drink or even dinner, not having the energy to do anything else other than sleep. That night, a creaking sound in the room woke Marco up, and his eyes had gone wide at seeing Star stumbling towards his bed, eyes half-open. When she'd started lifting up the covers and sliding onto the mattress, Marco had protested, but to no avail. He quickly found himself pinned to the bed, Star's arms wrapped securely around him, head buried in his shoulder. Marco had tried to get away but it turned out Star was a lot stronger than she looked; he was stuck. He'd decided if he couldn't extricate himself from her grip, he would just wake her up and force her back into her own bed… but seeing the peaceful look on her face had stopped him. He recalled her previous words about not being so cautious, her stinging barb when she'd called him "safe kid", and recognized that it actually felt… kind of nice to share the bed with someone. His will crumbled, and he decided to let it go for the night, resolving to discuss the matter with Star in the morning.

Morning came soon enough, and when Star woke up again using Marco's chest as a pillow, she was instantly apologetic, mentally preparing to receive yet another overbearing lecture from the boy. She was surprised then when Marco merely shrugged it off, saying it was fine but wanting to know why Star was so obsessed with cuddling. Star had blushed crimson at that particular wording but eventually admitted to Marco that since she'd been a little girl she'd always slept better when holding onto something. Marco remembered what had happened next…

"So that's why I keep ending up on top of you in the morning," Star explained. "But I can stop, I swear. I'll… snuggle up with an extra pillow from now on. Yeah! That'll work. This really won't happen again, the absolute last time, promise!"

Star was confused when Marco shrugged at the idea. "If you want. Honestly…." A blush came over his face, "It wasn't… so bad. I mean… you didn't bother me or…. And if it helps you sleep better then I guess it's alright." Star giggled at how Marco was too embarrassed to look at her while this was all coming out, keeping his gaze locked on the floor instead. She decided to tease him a little but launching herself at him and wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Sooooo, this doesn't bother you either? Right Marco~?" She finished his name in a sing-song voice.

Scowling at her antics, Marco quickly detached himself. "You could be a little less childish about this you know. I'm gonna have to learn to sleep with your snoring right in my ear if this keeps up."

"It's the price you pay for coming out of your shell a little, safe kid." Star had retorted.

"I told you to quit calling me that!"

Marco smiled at the memory. In the week since then, Star had wound up in Marco's bed more often than not. He still ordered rooms with two beds for propriety's sake and for some reason Star still initially went to sleep in her own bed every night. Maybe to make Marco feel more comfortable with the arrangement? Maybe to justify what was happening to herself? Marco honestly wasn't sure, and frankly he wasn't convinced it mattered all that much. Besides, the current arrangement offered Marco a few opportunities that were just too good to pass up. Chuckling evilly to himself, Marco slowly brought a finger up before booping Star on the nose.

The princess awoke with a star, eyes darting all over the place. "I didn't steal the tray full of sausages mom I swear! The grease was from something else!" Full wakefulness came with Marco's howling laughter and she flushed in embarrassment. Deciding retribution was in order, she began to, gently, hit Marco about the head. The boy was forced to choose between holding up his arms to protect himself or continue to hold his sides as the laughter continued on unabated. After another couple of minutes, Marco finally got control of himself, wiping away a tear with one eye. "Satisfied with yourself?" Star asked sarcastically.

"Very much so. Hooooo, did I need that."

"Well I'm going back to bed," Star said in a huff, laying on the opposite side and away from Marco so he wouldn't see her smile. He needed to be taught that it wasn't right to tease a princess after all. Best to let him believe she was angry with him.

"Star, c'mon, get up." She could hear the sound of fabric rustling as Marco slid his arms into his shirt. "We can have breakfast downstairs but then we have to get moving. The faster we move North, the safer." Marco stifled a yawn at the end. Despite his energetic words, they had gotten back to the inn fairly late and he wasn't working with much sleep.

"Marco noooooo," Star whined. "It's still so early, can't you just relax for one morning, even?"

"I'm running around the kingdom with the princess in tow while the most powerful lord in the realm is trying to, at best, kidnap you, and you're asking if I can relax?" Marco snapped irritably, causing Star to cringe. In her private moments, when all the fun of new adventures and being with Marco wasn't around to distract her, she knew this had to be taking a toll on Marco. He really was working tirelessly to try and get her to Eclipsa. But that was all the more reason why he needed to take some down time; she'd heard the yawn he'd just tried to hide after all. But how best to bait him….

"Spoken like a true safe kid."

"Star, I'm really not in the mood for this, don't call me that."

"I'm just saying. Marco Diaz, the always concerned merchant. Works great as a sales pitch. And you're right, I'm sure we're in mortal danger. I bet Toffee has already tracked us down and his men are going to burst through the door riggghhhtttt… now!" When the door obviously failed to burst open Star sat up and smirked at Marco.

Frowning, Marco stood still for a moment. Maybe Star was right…. And the bed did look awfully enticing at the moment. He could feel the ghost of his master, normally screaming the lessons of a good merchant at him, slowly fade into the background as he removed his shirt. This time, Star got a solid look at the faint but clearly developing muscles Marco had in front. _Guess traveling merchant work does a boy good. _Star thought with a purr. Marco slid back under the covers and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep. Star looked down at his face, "so cute," she giggled to herself before curling back up next to him. The sunlight and their shared body heat under the blanket combining to lull Star back into dreamland.

* * *

After a few more blissful hours of sleep Star and Marco woke up again; Star noticing that this time Marco seemed far more refreshed and alert. Good, she thought. Maybe he'd finally start listening to her a little more. They made their way downstairs where the innkeeper happily heaped eggs, sausages, and potatoes onto plates with thick slabs of butter on the side. And, as Star insisted on with just about every meal when they were available, more honey drizzled pastries. Marco idly wondered if there was some part of Star that was only able to run on sugar. He liked sweets fine and he'd met people, especially a few nobles, who had what he considered to be large sweet tooth's. Star easily put them all to shame with her appetite. Star was busy thinking about how good the meal was. Marco had told her once about how his parents had cooked Andelisian style food all the time and the huge variety of spices that were involved. It had sounded good to Star, but she had to admit that nothing beat Mewni cuisine. Sitting back and patting her stomach comfortably, Star let out a soft belch. "My compliments to the chef," she said, giving an erratic had wave in the innkeeper's direction. Marco let out a soft chuckle over his mug of tea while the older gentleman gave an exaggerated bow.

Marco was content to sit there for a good while longer. The meal had been excellent and the tea had a peppermint flavor he was enjoying. Then, the door to the inn opened and Marco froze as he heard a man shout, "Hey Harold! Where do you want the cured hams?" Marco recognized that voice, it was hard not to. After all, it had been screaming about shoving a knife up his ass just last night. Of all the shit luck. The guy just had to be working this morning and just had to be stopping by the inn they were staying at? Did the universe really want to punish him that badly? Or maybe this was just karma for Star and he was the poor bastard who'd got caught up in it?

Star, seeing Marco tense up but apparently having not recognized the voice looked over at her friend. "Marco, everything okay? You look like you just realized something horrible."

Marco leaned over and motioned Star to come closer. Once she'd scooted over, he leaned into her ear and whispered, "That's one of the guys who was chasing us last night. Hopefully he doesn't remember our faces that well. Put your hood up and don't say anything. I'm going to settle up with the innkeeper and then we're getting out of here. Nice and sneaky like."

Nodding in understanding, Marco and Star both flicked their hoods up as Marco made his way over to the counter, attempting to grab the innkeeper's attention as he started to lay coins out. However, the man was distracted as he began directing the man outside to bring the hams into the building. As the towering man walked in, four large hams hooked on a pole slung over his shoulders, Star recognized him. He'd lost five rounds of dice to her in a row, betting higher amounts each time until she'd completely cleaned him out. When he started ranting about how she'd managed to win like that, Star had drunkenly given up how the dice were loaded. That had led to the near fight in the bar before Star and Marco narrowly escaped and were then chased through the city. She tried to hide her face deeper in the shadow of her cloak, hoping that the man would simply make his delivery and move on so Marco could pay and they could get out of here.

Unfortunately, Marco's frantic hand-waving down at the other end of the bar wasn't grabbing the innkeeper's attention; from what Star could hear the two men were now arguing over the price of the hams versus their quality and size. She then heard Marco speak up, "Sir! My companion and I really need to get on the road if I could just get a minute of your time. Please, it's rather urgent." Apparently, he'd decided to risk if the man remembered his voice or not. Disgruntled, the innkeeper did step away from the other man and turned his attention to Marco, where the two appeared to settle up quickly. Unfortunately, Star could also see the other man's eyes on Marco, his face twisted in concentration as if he were trying to place the boy somewhere. Turning his back to the other man, Marco motioned to Star and then pointed towards the door. She rose rapidly and made a bee-line towards their escape, Marco at her side. Just before they were able to get out the door however, a heavy hand fell on Marco's shoulder.

"Hey you, boy." The man said. "You look familiar. You stop by the _Laughing Tree_ last night?" Thankfully, he hadn't spun Marco around to get a closer look at his face yet.

"Who, us?" Star could tell Marco was trying to cast his voice a little deeper, hoping to fool the guy. "Never heard of it. We're just passing through town, went right to bed last night. In fact, we're actually in a bit of a hurry so if you wouldn't mind letting me go…" Marco trailed off. The man didn't look entirely convinced but he hesitated just enough that Marco was able to slip out of his grip and open the door, motioning Star out first. Bad luck, however, appeared determined to kick them in the ass that day. As soon as Marco opened the door a strong gust tore into the inn, blowing Star's hood clean off and exposing her blond hair in its signature ponytail. The man's eyes widened in recognition and then anger. Marco might have just barely been able to fool him by hiding his face under his cowl and making his voice sound lower, but there was no way the guy was going to forget what Star looked like. Especially not from the back, when he'd been chasing her through most of town the previous evening.

"YOU!" He shouted in a sudden rage.

Marco and Star made eye contact for a split second. "Run," was all Marco had time to get out before the pair were sprinting out the door, the delivery man right on top of them.

"I swear this time I'm going to gut you both you shit-eating bastards!"

"He really does have a great imagination for threats and insults, doesn't he?" Star remarked with some mirth.

"Really not the time Star!" Marco shouted back. He looked around quickly for anything they might use as a convenient escape or distraction before spotting it. A horse-drawn cart tied up to a post just outside the inn entrance. Sitting in the back were various crates, barrels, and free-hanging dried meats. Marco was willing to bet this was the man's wagon. Or that if it wasn't it would hopefully cause a big enough diversion. "Get ready to run to the wagon!" He shouted to Star before drawing his sword and slicing through the leather reins holding the horse to the post. He then ran to where the horse was connected to the cart.

"Sorry about this big guy." Marco said regretfully before raising his sword arm high and bringing the flat of the metal blade down on the horse's rear. Whinnying in fear, the horse reared back on its hind legs before taking off in a panicked gallop, taking the wagon along with it. Star, following Marco's direction took off running in the opposite direction, around towards the back of the inn where Marco's wagon was waiting, the young merchant right behind her. The man chasing them, seeing the pair escaping but also seeing his livelihood galloping in a panic the other way paused in the street, torn by his desire for payback and his need to get his horse and cart, before growling and tearing off in the direction of his now runaway goods. Marco, meanwhile, had pulled Bavieca out of the stable, hitched him up to the wagon, and gotten him and Star on the road in near record time. The town had been small enough where it lacked walls and gates so it was a simple matter of driving the wagon at a steady pace on the road north until the wooden structures were a rapidly receding smudge in the distance.

Sitting up on the driver's bench with Marco, Star kicked her feet up and cradled her hands behind her head. "Well, that was fun! Can't believe we managed to get away from that guy twice, huh Marco?" When he failed to respond she kept talking. "I mean he was all, rawwwrr, I'm going to get you! And then you sent his cart down the street! It was amazing, I never would've thought of that! What a fun adventure. I can't wait to write about it. Do you think we're going to hit a different town tonight? I hate writing in the wagon, it makes the writing all messy." Still silence from Marco. Sitting up from her recline, Star saw her friend looking straight ahead, jaw held in a tight line with a firm grip on the reins.

"Marco, what's wrong?" Star gave him a concerned look. Why wasn't he answering her? The young merchant continued to ignore her entreaties.

"Marco?" Silence.

"Mewni to Marco. You up there?" Still nothing.

After a few more unsuccessful tries Star finally gave a "hmph" and went back to her previously relaxed position. If he wanted to be grouchy about something and not tell her about it, fine! She didn't need to talk to him anyway. It had turned into a lovely day out and the road was flat and peaceful, the wagon moving seamlessly over the ground. If Marco wasn't going to talk to her, then she would just relax and take in the view. Purposefully turning her head to the right, opposite from Marco, Star was soothed by the expanses of wild grasses and flowers, broken up by the occasional copse of trees. A particular patch of deep indigo and blue ones were particularly eye-catching and she started turning to get Marco's attention and show him, but then she remembered she was mad at him and so kept the thought to herself. Big deal, she hadn't wanted to show him anyway.

A couple of hours later a large doe raised it's head up from grazing at the sound of the wagon coming down the road and Star could have sworn it was looking right at her. What melted her heart however were the two barely visible heads of the fawns she had with her. They were absolutely adorable looking! Again, Star's first inclination was to point them out to Marco, and again she held herself back. Blowing a strand of hair out of her face in annoyance, Star rested her chin in one hand while idly thrumming the fingers of her other hand along the lip of the wagon bed. _Okay_, she thought. _This really sucks. I don't want to spend Mewni knows how long mad at Marco. I don't even know what he's mad about! I bet whatever it is I can cheer him up though. Bet a little light teasing might get his mind off of it._

"Sooooo, Marco," Star began.

"It's your fault." Marco interrupted her, still not bothering to make eye contact.

Star was confused. Her fault? Her fault about what? She waited for Marco to continue, but nothing else was forthcoming. "What's my fault Marco? I haven't done anything since we left town."

Now Marco did turn to face her, exasperation plain on his face. "Exactly, what **you** did in town. Pulling me back down into bed, not leaving when it was time to go. If we'd left when I'd wanted to, we would have been gone long before that bastard showed up and I wouldn't have had to think on my feet and sent a damned dried meat wagon hurtling through town just so we could get away!"

Star reeled back as if she'd been struck. Where the hell had that come from?! Sure, it had been a little bit of a close call there for a minute when he'd recognized them coming out of the door; the wind knocking down her hood had been the perfect example of bad luck, but they'd gotten away alright. "Marco I really don't understand what you're getting at here," Star tried again in the hopes of reasoning with the now visibly angry merchant. "We're alright, we got away. Still traveling north without a problem, no one knows I'm actually Star Butterfly. You're making a big deal over nothing."

"And what would I have done if he'd caught you then, huh?! Or last night when you basically robbed him blind and then showed him how you did it? Should I have just given over everything in my coin purse and left us for broke? Maybe he'd want everything in my cart instead and then poof! There go my dreams of being anything other than a traveling merchant. Or maybe I he wouldn't have been interested in any of that and I would have had to kill him. Some poor laboring bastard dead on the end of my sword because he thinks he's just collecting ill gotten dice winnings, but no! No, he's got the fucking Princess of Mewni in his arms and if anything happened to you!..." Marco trailed off, either unable or unwilling to finish the thought, Star wasn't sure which. Star could clearly see the pain on his face and her heart went out to him. Another reminder of the burden he faced.

"Marco," she started saying and reached out to put a hand on his arm, flinching back when he roughly shook her hand away. Sympathy was quickly replaced by hurt. He was acting like the last couple of weeks hadn't meant anything. She really thought they had grown closer. But, had she been wrong? Did Marco really still see himself first and foremost as her guide rather than a friend? Those thoughts in turn led from hurt to anger. Maybe that was it. He wasn't a friend of Star Butterfly's; how could he be? He'd just said so himself. Marco hadn't been worried about his friend, Star, being hurt. No, he'd been worried about what would happen to the Princess of Mewni. An empty shell outfitted with an important title. Still, even in her anger she wanted to give one more effort at getting through to him. She saw him as a friend after all; maybe if she could just punch through all the stubbornness, he cloaked himself in she could reach him.

"Marco… I'm not made of glass you know. Yeah, it might not have been an ideal situation, but I apologized for what happened the other night in the bar! You even said that there was nothing to apologize and admitted you had fun. And, again, really can't stress this part enough… WE'RE FINE! So please, can't you just let this stupid thing go so we can go back to being friends already? A grouchy Marco definitely isn't going to be any fun to tease after all." She tried to end he plea on a funny note, hoping to get a grin or chuckle out of him. Something that would tell her all was forgiven. No such signs were apparent however. Instead, Marco's next words felt like a stab right through her heart.

"Whoever said we were friends?" He asked coldly. "I'm just bringing you North, nothing more." Marco **almost** cracked at seeing the pinpricks of tears appear in the corner of Star's eyes. He knew he was hurting her, but it was the right thing to do. He had to be able to make decisions involving her logically, and that meant keeping a certain amount of distance between them. Just because Star wasn't taking things seriously didn't mean he wouldn't either. Yes, it was better this way. That was what he was willing to tell himself at least.

Star felt herself subconsciously curl in a little. Marco's words had cut deeper than he could have realized. If he wasn't her friend… then who did she have left in the world? In the past when she was upset, Star could have run to Glossaryck, or some of the friendly guards, or her mother on the rare occasions where she had been available. But out here on the road, it was just her and Marco. And Marco's horse, technically. But was she really supposed to be friends with and confide in a horse? That would be insane. No, the one person in the world that she wanted to confide in, that she could confide in, was also the one pushing her away.

Star felt her heart harden. If Marco wanted to their relationship to be nothing more than a commoner guide escorting a princess, then she would oblige him. Off in the distance she spied a copse of trees that she thought looked like a good camp site. "I'm tired, we're making camp for the night. Pull over up there," she said in her best "princess voice" while pointing over at the small grove.

Marco looked over at her in confusion. "Star, there's plenty of daylight left and we have a lot of ground to cover there's no way we can…"

"That's Princess Butterfly to you, Mr. Diaz. You are my guide but I am your Princess and will be your Queen before long, and I'm telling you to pull over up ahead and make camp for the night."

Growling in frustration, Marco nodded curtly before flicking the reins to get Bavieca moving a little faster. They reached the grove Star had indicated within minutes. Before Marco had managed to pull the wagon to a complete stop, Star had hopped off the driver's bench and began walking away. Without looking back at Marco, she said haughtily, "I'm going for a walk. I expect camp to be made by the time I get back." As she strode away purposefully, Marco held a hand out as if to reach or call out to her, but let it drop to his side when he realized it was futile. _Nice going, Diaz._ An "inner voice" of Marco's said. _You wanted some space between the two of you and you got it. You got it in spades! And here was the first person willing to put up with you since Master._ "Shut up," Marco muttered under his breath to himself. Feeling like a pile of horse shit left on the side of the road, Marco slowly began unpacking things from the different side compartments of the wagon bed to get camp set up and a fire started.

Meanwhile, Star walked a good distance away until she felt like Marco couldn't possibly hear her before she let the first tears fall, hugging herself tightly. "That stupid… bastard… fucking asshole… damnit Marco, why?!" Star choked out between sobs. The curses didn't make her feel any better but they served as a convenient outlet for her anger and sadness. She thought back to what Hannah the seamstress' apprentice had told her back in Tresting. What had she said again? Right… _"One thing I do know is this; merchants care about one thing above all else and that's making money. They live and die by those little coins they carry around in their pockets. Just keep your wits about you, alright?"_ So, Marco didn't care about her then? No… that didn't sound right either. Star hadn't promised him a reward for taking her north, and he had saved her from Toffee's men before knowing she was a princess. But he'd also started scavenging through their stuff to see if there was anything worth selling right after he had killed two men. Maybe he assumed he'd get a reward from Aunt Eclipsa once Star arrived safely at Eagle's Rest? Who knew? Star doubted that Marco would tell her the truth if she probed him about it, especially now.

She looked up at the sky, the afternoon sun slowly making its way towards the western horizon. The fading light still gave a comforting warmth to her skin, though it did little to improve her mood. It had been over two weeks since she'd left Sperana and Butterfly Castle. Her mother would have been cremated by now in the tradition of Butterfly Queens. Her ashes would have ascended into the sky and become part of the universe where they would watch over and protect the kingdom. Star had never really considered whether or not that was really true. Death had been a fairly abstract concept to her. Even when her father had died the… finality of death had been a difficult concept to process. He hadn't been cremated. In the tradition of the Johansen clan, he'd been buried where he had fallen in battle, so that his comrades in arms might forever tell stories about their deeds on that day and their enemies would tremble. Glossaryck had told her that, but she didn't remember him saying anything about ancestors also protecting people from beyond the grave. Did burning her mother's body really somehow release her soul across the kingdom? Did that mean her mother was watching over her now? If so, Star didn't really feel all that protected. Then again, she was alive, she'd found help when it was most needed, and despite being on the run these last weeks, Toffee still hadn't managed to find her. Maybe the magical protection of long dead queens just wasn't enough to punch through the greed of merchants then? _Perhaps gold really was that powerful_, Star thought with a bitter chuckle.

The young Princesses' stomach chose that moment to wake-up, reminding Star that she hadn't eaten since right before they'd been forced to flee town. Had that really only been earlier today? It was amazing how much could change in a few hours. Then again, given some of the other things Star had been through recently, this was small time stuff. "Marco will probably have dinner almost ready by now," she said aloud to herself. Going back to Marco was the absolute last thing she wanted to do right now. Scratch that, second to last thing. An image of that dinner with Tom Lucitor popped into her head… okay, seeing Marco was third last. But still, Star admitted she still needed him right now. She didn't have the resources to survive on her own and they were still over a month from Eclipsa. And besides, even if Marco didn't want to be her friend, he still seemed willing to put up with her. That would have to be enough.

Star pushed her feelings down, hiding them as best she could, and wiped away any lingering tears on her sleeve before starting the walk back towards the campsite. It wasn't that hard to find, Marco had apparently gotten a fire going and the smell of woodsmoke was easy to follow. She came around the side of the copse of trees to see Marco on his knees, facing away from her. He was feeding the fire with some kindling and had set up the ever-useful stew cauldron and its triangular base over the fire. The smell emanating from the pot made Star's mouth water. Despite everything else, Star would never deny that Marco really was an absolutely wonderful cook.

She approached him as quietly as possible, both to keep from disturbing him and to avoid any awkward conversation, but apparently her footfalls crunching the grass and leaves beneath her had been loud enough for him to hear because he said "hey" without looking at her.

"Hi," she said back, not sure what else should be said, or could be said.

"Dinner should be ready soon."

"That's good."

"It's beans and wild mushrooms with the last of the dried pork. Couple pinches of salt and some chopped garlic for flavor."

"Sounds delicious." Star smiled lightly despite herself. Even when the conversation was awkward, she could hear the notes of pride Marco took in his cooking. Since it was a skill he'd picked up form both of his parents, Star figured it must have held a special place in his heart.

Circling around the fire, Star took a seat a fair distance away from him and tried to look anywhere but directly at her merchant guide. The tree canopy above her, the sky now contrasting shades of gold and indigo as the sun set, the bright oranges and yellows of the fire. So lost was she in trying to find ways to **not** look at Marco that she almost didn't notice when he thrust a bowl full of stew in front of her, carved wooden spoon already placed within. She thanked him quietly before eating. The only sounds around the camp were the crackling of the flames, the occasional whinny from Bavieca as he grazed beneath the tree Marco had tied him to for the night, and the scrapes of spoons against bowls as the pair ate. It was far too quiet for Star's liking. Normally any meal she had with Marco would be accompanied either by the cacophony of voices surrounding them in inns and taverns or their own lively conversations around fires like this. Even as she missed it though, conversation was the last thing on her mind right now.

Without any conversation, dinner passed by quickly, night hadn't even fully taken hold yet. Normally, they broke for camp much later than this so by the time they were full and had cleaned up, it would be time for bed. Now, Star felt torn between offering to help Marco clean up and the potential awkwardness that might ensue from whipping between haughtily commanding him to make camp and prepare a meal to offering to help tidy camp up afterwards. Regardless, once that was done, what would she do with herself. She wasn't nearly tired enough to contemplate sleeping yet. Maybe another walk? She didn't want to risk not being able to find her way back in the darkness. Marco made the choice for her, gathering up the bowls and the iron pot, leaving nothing for her to even offer to help with.

Turning to her for the first time since sitting down for the meal he said, "I'm going to find somewhere to clean this up." He paused for a moment as if unsure whether to add anything else. "I won't be gone long," he added finally. Star didn't bother with a reply and Marco walked away from the camp, again leaving the Princess alone with her thoughts. Not that there was much to think about at this point that she hadn't run through earlier on her own walk. She looked around the camp; there had to be something to do! Anything to distract her from the boredom and the tense situation with her guide. Her eyebrows rose slightly when her gaze landed on her pack. Was she really that bored? Another quick glance around the camp confirmed there wasn't anything else to do unless she wanted to strike up a conversation with Marco's horse, and she'd ruled that out earlier this afternoon. Rising and walking over to her pack, Star reached in and withdrew the oversized tome lying within. Rather than take out her writing supplies, she hadn't been kidding when she'd told Marco earlier that she hated writing when they were out camping, she instead flipped to the very front of the book. The first page was almost entirely blank, save for the flowing script across the top unmistakably written in Glossaryck's neat handwriting which read, _The History of the Kingdom of Mewni beginning with the Foundation under the First Queen_. Star had been a somewhat better student of history than on courtly etiquette, enjoying tales of her great-great-great grandmothers, but better was still a relative term. "I really must be out of mind if this is what I'm using to distract myself," she said out loud. When Baveica looked up as if the horse had **understood** what she was saying... had he just shaken his head in agreement?! Star decided it was probably best to just focus on the book.

"Okay, here we go. Chapter One: The reign of the First Queen. The Butterfly Dynasty claims its lineage from the First Queen. A perhaps mythical figure whose actual identity has been debated by scholars for centuries. The most common assumption is Queen Andromeda Butterfly whose reign was approximately 400 to 450 years ago, aligning closely, though not entirely, with contemporary records of other houses who detail their acknowledgment of Butterfly sovereignty during this period." Star yawned, her eyelids already drooping at the fairly dry text. Shaking her head, she pressed on. "Regardless of the dynasty's origins, the unification of small kingdoms into a single realm relied heavily on both military conquest and diplomacy. The process of granting members of the nobility significant rights on their own lands in exchange for homage was actually popularized in this era, contradicting common accounts that the practice began some 150 years later under Queen Skywynne…." Star's ahead began to nod again. Maybe she was more tired that she'd thought? Picking up the book one last time, Star's last thought was that the words in her book were beginning to look awfully blurry before darkness claimed her.

* * *

The smell of fresh wood smoke hit Star's nose, rousing her to wakefulness. She sat up groggily, realizing that a blanket had been laid over her and that her book was closed neatly beside her, trying to remember the previous night. Marco had left alone to clean up the dishes from last night and in her boredom, she had decided to start reading about her family history and then… what had happened? Her eyes eventually landed on Marco who was idly poking at the fire with a thin, long stick and sipping on a mug of something.

"M-Marco...?" She called out hesitatingly.

Meeting her eyes, the young Andelisian quickly averted his gaze. "Morning," he mumbled.

Star sighed, so it was still like that, huh? "What happened last night?"

Marco shrugged. "I came back from cleaning everything and you were slumped over that book. Closed the book up and then uh…" his face rapidly reddened, "kinda… nudged you over onto your side and then put the blanket over you. It was… I didn't mean to touch you there just… I figured you didn't want to sleep sitting up is all." Star could see that he was floundering.

"It's fine," she tried to assure him. "I uh… don't suppose there's any breakfast?"

To her disappointment, Marco shook his head. "Sorry, dried stuff only, we're running low on supplies. We should reach the next town before nightfall; we'll be able to restock there." He rose, kicking ashes over the fire until the flames had died out, dumping whatever else had been his mug over the logs for good measure. "Wagon's all packed up, we can leave whenever you're ready."

Star rose to her feet, picking up the book and placing it back in her bag before withdrawing a hairbrush. "Right. I'm just gonna take a minute then."

"Sure."

"Try not to leave without me," she teased before slapping a hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to do that! It had come out naturally; they'd had a similar conversation so many times before. Glancing out of the corner of her eye she expected to see Marco annoyed or angry, but was shocked to see the faintest ghost of a smile on his face. It made her heart soar. If he could still get a kick out of her teasing, maybe there was some hope for their friendship after all. Smiling to herself, Star walked a few feet from the camp to take care of things. Coming back a few minutes later, hair now thoroughly brushed and tied in her typical braid and clothes dusted off, she and Marco hopped onto the wagon bed and with a quick snap of the reins and a click from Marco, the wagon lumbered its way back onto the road and quickly picked up speed from there.

A couple hours later, Star's hopes for a quickly rekindled friendship between herself and Marco were dimmed. Despite showing a ghost of a smile earlier as they were breaking camp, the two had barely spoken to each other in the hours since. Granted, whatever they had said lacked the venom from yesterday so Star supposed that was an improvement. But it still left her bored and needing a way to pass the time, so she decided to pick up the book again. This time she had picked her mother's chapter to read through in the hopes it would be a little more captivating. Of course, sitting next to Marco she didn't want to read out loud and kept the words to herself this time.

_Queen Moon Butterfly earned the title of "The Undaunted", after ascending the throne at age 20 and being immediately faced with an invasion by the Kitari hordes from the Eastern steppe…_ Star had known about the war with the Kitari of course, her dad had died in the final battle that had finally led to peace; but she had no idea that her mom had taken the throne when she was only a couple years older than Star was now. Enraptured, she kept reading. _In order to help secure her position and bring additional military experience, she agreed to entertain a courtship with River of the Johansen Clan. A now extinct house renowned for its fierce warriors, the Johansens were shunned by many other nobles for their rejection of more courtly ways. Queen Moon herself had reportedly been unimpressed by her first meeting with the future King River…_

Star's reading was interrupted as Marco pulled Bavieca up short. Looking up from her mother's chapter, Star saw that they had reached a medium-sized river with a wooden bridge over it. Nothing looked out of the ordinary to Star at first glance, she couldn't understand why Marco would stop here. But with a second, closer glance she could see what the matter was. The bridge looked old and decrepit. The wood was twisted and warped in many places. Forget repairing it, someone probably should have torn the thing down and replaced it ages ago. Marco sighed next to Star. "Some of these nobles really couldn't give a shit about what their lands look like," he muttered to himself while dismounting from the wagon. Walking around Bavieca, he gingerly took up the reins before turning to look back at Star.

Seeing her questioning gaze, Marco preempted her. "I'm going to go ahead and test whether the bridge will hold. If it can't take my weight, it definitely can't take the wagon's."

"And if it can't? What then?" Star asked.

"We'll find another way across then. I'm sure there's a ford or a ferry somewhere around here." Marco tried to sound reassuring, though Star wasn't convinced.

"Maybe we should just go and find it then." She peered down at the river. Brown and muddy, it was impossible to see if there was anything in there, much less how deep the bottom was. "Marco… you can swim, right?"

"Of course I can swim Star," he said exasperatedly. "Now c'mon." He began walking onto the bridge and with a light tug, the horse and wagon slowly followed him.

As they moved, the wood on the bridge made a continuous creaking sound, Star thought it almost sounded like the bridge itself was in pain, but they were making progress and nothing had happened… yet. Marco was advancing slowly, placing a foot gingerly in each spot he wanted to go, sometimes not liking the sound he heard and so moving to the left or right. When the wood seemed firm enough, he would place the weight of his whole leg, then his whole body, and then, finally, he would coax Bavieca along. In this way, they were slowly zig-zagging their way forward, slowing down the process. It was near torturous for Star, the moment felt thick with tension. Still, they made it over the arch of the bridge at the halfway point without issue, and Star let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. As if crossing that point was a milestone or meant that they would be just as safe in their descent towards the opposite river bank. So, naturally, that's where things had to go wrong.

It happened suddenly, too fast for Marco or Star to react. Marco had placed his foot down to test the weight of one section and, like every other time, when there was no creak, or give, or other sign that the wood under his feet was rotten, he placed his entire body weight down. The instant that happened, Star heard a loud groan. Marco looked back up at her, surprise and horror the last thing she saw on his face before the entire left-hand side of the section they were on collapsed.

Marco seemed to fall in slow-motion. His back was to the water, and he watched Star, Bavieca, and his wagon move further away. He heard Star scream out "MARCO!" Then, there was a loud *bang* as his head hit something, a flash of pain, and then blackness.

Star and the wagon had been on the right-side of the bridge when the section underneath Marco collapsed. To her, it happened in an instant. She saw the wood give way; Marco was falling. She screamed out to him, "MARCO!" As if shouting at him could somehow levitate him back to safety. Then, to her horror, she saw Marco's head collide with one of the planks that had fallen out of the rotten section with him. She saw his eyes go blank, then close, just as he hit the water.

The sound of the rotten planks and the merchant who'd been standing on them hitting the water frightened Bavieca, who reared up in fright; Star quickly grabbing the reins to calm him down lest they also stumble into the river. Thankfully, the horse gained control of himself quickly, though he was still breathing heavily; head swinging from side to side as if in search of his owner. Star meanwhile had climbed on top of the wagon bed, eyes desperately searching for the tell-tale red of Marco's vest, or a cry for help, something, anything to let her know he was alright. The continually swirling mud of the river was the only thing she could see.

"MARCO! MARCO WHERE ARE YOU?! MARCOOOOO!" Star was screaming, starting to panic. He'd told her he could swim! Maybe he couldn't find his way back up from the muddy currents? Or had he been knocked out when his head hit the rotten plank? How long had been down there now? A minute? Two? How long could people last under water anyway? "MARCO PLEASE ANSWER ME!" She tried once more to find the boy without success. Thinking quickly, Star came to a split-second decision.

"Marco would kill me if he saw what I was about to do. Oh well, he can yell at me later when he's alive," Star said as she hopped off the wagon bed. Running towards where the bridge had collapsed, she shouted as an afterthought, "Bavieca! Stay there!" Before jumping down into the muddy water.

* * *

She was instantly blinded and the shock of the water's cold nearly paralyzed her. Only the thought of "find Marco" kept her going. Without the benefit of sight, Star slowly began to feel her way around, searching for the riverbed. The current wasn't particularly strong, hopefully that meant Marco hadn't drifted too far. Kicking down, or what she hoped was down, Star's hands soon touched what felt like a thick mud. Yes! The river bottom! Her chest was beginning to burn as her body desperately tried to conserve what air it had. Her hands scampered across the bottom, looking for him. Then, she grasped what felt like a piece of fabric. That had to be him! With a pull she tried to bring him up, but the mud felt like it was sucking on his body, trying to drag him deeper. Her chest now burning harder, Star was forced to let go and kick for the surface. Her head breaking the water, she took deep, gasping breaths before diving back down until she again hit the bottom. Wait… where was Marco?! He'd been right here; she was sure of it! Hands clawing at the mud, she finally located him again to her right. Grabbing with both hands this time, she attempted to pull him up by using her own body as a counter-weight, trying to get under him so she could kick off the riverbed and bring them both back to the surface. But he still wasn't budging! Star was running out of air again. She wouldn't lose him! She couldn't lose him! Even if he didn't want to be her friend, even if he only saw this as a chore, she needed him! She wanted him on this adventure, wanted him in her life. He was her friend! She was Star Butterfly, rightful Queen of Mewni and daughter of River fucking Johansen and she… was… getting… her… friend… out! With one last heave, she felt Marco become unstuck and kicked towards the surface.

With a splash, both their heads broke the water, Star taking deep gulps of the sweet air and opening her eyes to confirm that yes, she'd found Marco. But he wasn't conscious, eyes still closed. Supporting his body at the water's surface with her arms, Star kicked, trying to bring them over to the opposite bank. Once they'd made it there, she dragged herself and Marco's dead weight onto the shore before looking at him. The water had soaked through his clothes and he had a nasty looking gash on the back of his head where it had collided with the plank, but the most worrying thing was that he didn't appear to be breathing. Why wasn't he breathing?!

On the verge of panicking again, Star suddenly remembered a day when she'd been a young girl. Her dad had taken her to a small pond within the castle walls to teach her how to fish. It was supposed to be their secret, her mom didn't like the idea, saying that a proper lady didn't engage in such activities. While her dad has been teaching her how to cast a line, there had been a splash from nearby, followed by a shout. A young boy had apparently fallen in the water and didn't know how to swim. Faster than Star could have imagined, her dad had fully **ripped off** his royal blue attire and had jumped into the pond to rescue the lad. When he'd been pulled from the water, he hadn't been breathing either. Her dad had quickly started pressing down on the center of his chest, before holding the boy's nose and blowing air into it. Star had watched, fascinated, as the unconscious boy had turned over on his side and thrown up a seemingly endless stream of water before taking deep, gasping breaths. He was okay! Looking down at Marco, Star knew that she'd never been taught exactly what her dad had done, but at this point she was out of options. Getting to her knees on the side of him, Star placed her hands on top of one another, positioned over Marco's chest. She began rhythmically pressing them into his chest while reciting a mantra again and again with each press, "Please wake up, please wake up."

* * *

Marco slowly woke up, a splitting pain in the back of his head. Reaching up to the source of the pain, he felt cloth rather than hair and then winced at the sharpness of the pain, letting out an involuntary hiss. That hiss apparently alerted a blond princess however as he suddenly felt himself embraced in a spine-cracking hug. "MARCO! Oh, thank the universe, you're awake! You're awake! You're awake! The bridge fell, and I couldn't find you, and then I did find you, and then you weren't breathing, and I didn't know what to do, and then…" Star paused for air, hot tears spilling down her cheeks and onto the side of Marco's neck and his shoulder.

Without thinking about it, Marco returned the embrace, one of his hands slowly rubbing circles on Star's back to calm her. "It's ok Star, it's ok. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

Pulling back from him, Marco could now see her tear-stricken but smiling face. "You promise?"

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I promise."

"Good." Then, Marco felt a sharp pain on his cheek and his neck twisted sideways as Star reared back and slapped him. "YOU ABSOLUTE FUCKING IDIOT! YOU SAW HOW BAD THAT BRIDGE WAS AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER LOOKING FOR A FORD OR A FERRY! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS ABOUT YOU?!"

"Star I…" Marco made to defend himself but seeing the still-enraged look on Star's face, he thought better of it. "Thank you, Star. Thank you for saving my life," he said sincerely.

Star's face softened, emotion once again threatening to overcome her. "I'm just glad you're alright."

Looking around, Marco saw Bavieca hitched nearby and the wagon parked with them too. Star had even gotten a fire going. "So, how did all of this," he gestured around to the well-made camp as well as himself, "happen?"

"Well, you fell into the river and I think hit your head on a plank or something that knocked you out, that's what that big old bump is," she pointed to the back of Marco's head. "When you didn't come up for air, I… jumped in after you…" Star paused, waiting for the inevitable rebuke of how unsafe that was, but Marco merely gestured for her to continue. Surprised, Star kept telling the story. "I found you on, or I guess in, the river bed might be more accurate. The mud was super thick and you were stuck in it. I barely managed to pull you out of there. Then, when I got us to shore, you weren't breathing. Then I remembered this thing my dad did when I was a kid to help a little boy who drowned so I started doing these chest pushing things," Star pantomimed the movements, "And I also…. Uhhhh," Marco noticed her face going red in the light of the fire.

"Star?" He questioned?

"Nothing! Where was I? Right. Chest pushing things! Anyway, it got you to wake up and you threw up, like, half the river, but you were breathing! Knocked out, but breathing! So, I dragged you over here and then got Bavieca over here and cut off a piece of a shirt I found lying in the wagon to make a bandage for your head."

"My one spare shirt!" Marco bemoaned.

"Ahem?" Star coughed while looking at Marco, one eyebrow raised as if daring him to complain.

"I mean… that was very thoughtful of you Star. Good thinking too!"

Satisfied, Star nodded and then continued. "After that I put a blanket over you and got a fire going. Then I waited for you to wake up. That was a few hours ago and well, you know the rest."

Marco stared at Star in awe. She'd saved his life, managed to make camp, and had taken care of everything else by herself. And she had tended to him. Even after… after the shitty way he'd been acting the past day and a half," he frowned.

Seeing Marco looking downcast, Star asked, "What's wrong Marco?"

"Star I… I'm sorry. I've been an absolute ass to you. Blaming you for what happened in the last village, acting like you couldn't take care of yourself, saying… saying we weren't friends. And then you did all of this. I couldn't have been more wrong, about all of it. Any chance you can forgive me?"

Star wrapped Marco in another tight embrace. "As a certain merchant told me once, there's nothing to apologize for. Besides! Friends don't stay mad at friends. And we're best friends, right Marco."

He returned the embrace once more. "Yeah Star, best friends." The moment was ruined by his growling stomach. Looking embarrassed, Marco rubbed his gut and chuckled. "I uh, don't suppose we have any food left, do we?"

Star shook her head. "You said we would get fresh supplies at the next town, remember? Looks like we're going hungry tonight. And tomorrow morning," she said with a grimace.

Shrugging, Marco felt a wave of fatigue come over him. "It's fine. Honestly, I don't know about you but I'm too tired to even think about eating right now. This was probably the most exhausting day I've had in… I don't even know when.

Laughing, Star rose to get her own blanket from the wagon. "You get some rest, you need it. I'm going to stay up a little while longer."

Yawning, Marco could already feel his eyes closing. "Ok, g'night Star, thanks for being… a great… friend," Marco trailed off as his eyes closed. His breathing soon became deep and steady, which Star was relieved to see. It looked like he would be okay after all. She really had been worried for a while. The chest compressions alone hadn't been working so she'd had to… she'd…. the phantom pressure of Marco's lips caused her to blush deep crimson once again. _Great,_ she thought to herself, _my first ever kiss was with my best friend who only just told me we were best friends… oh, and he was unconscious. Still, even if he was knocked out… he's not that bad of a kisser. I can't ever tell him about that though, then he'd REALLY freak out._ Chuckling, Star draped her blanket over her shoulders, staring into the fire much the way she had the previous evening. Only this time, the silence didn't feel overwhelming and tense. This time, it was peaceful, like the silence right after a storm. Star liked how that sounded. She couldn't wait until they arrived at the next town so she could write all about it.

* * *

**A/N: And that's another chapter in the books! If you've been reading the story for a while now, you might've noticed I've tried keeping the chapter length to somewhere between 10-12k words. Trying to keep things moving without endless explanation and side-tracking, etc. So when this chapter passed 12k and then hit 13,000, and then 14,000, I was worried. But going back and reading it, this has to have been one of the most satisfying chapters I've written for this work so far. I hope you all got the same enjoyment out of reading it as we see Star and Marco's relationship bend, but not break, and bounce back stronger than ever. Plus our first Starco kiss! Granted, I didn't actually write it… I think I'll save that for when both of them are, you know, awake. Anyway, as always if you liked this chapter and feel like letting me know, favs, follows, and reviews are deeply appreciated. If you have any suggestions or criticisms, PM's are also great. And lastly, if you like my writing and want to spin up a story for you, I take one-shot requests either as stand alone fics or as chapters in my anthology, "Across the Star(s)." With that, review roundup time from chapter six!**

**Starco4everr: Thanks as always! Glad you liked it!**

**Mr. Spinner: Be let down no more, for the Starco is back! I'm glad that you enjoy my political writing even if you don't enjoy political intrigue that much. I can't think of a higher compliment than when I get told I made someone enjoy something they normally don't. And yes, I imagine David's rage at hearing about Starco will be worth seeing… or reading rather. I continue to appreciate your insightful reviews and messages and hope you enjoy this chapter as well!**

**Viceversa96: People in power often fail to realize the bottom is falling out from under them until it has. Everyone on the council has an agenda, and no one is truly safe. Toffee's temper at being unable to accept not controlling everything and everyone is what makes him ruthless, but it's also a weakness. Hope you enjoy some Starco this chapter and looking forward to the end of your comic!**

**RJWritingInk: You were one of the first to tell me you thought this fic had some heavy Thrones elements, and you're certainly right. I know it's a dangerous game, but what's good writing without taking some risks, eh? I'm glad you're looking forward to how the story concludes, because I'm looking forward to writing it! And speaking of sparks flying over Starco… here's some more wood for that fire**

**ROTHEM: Glad you liked the chapter and hope you like this one! Yes, Toffee and David suck. I know some people like to write their villains with sympathies, heck even Daron gave Toffee a little redemption by showing he was right about magic, but for what this story is I decided to go with straight up evil.**

**TheSoberPug: Welcome to the fic and thanks for leaving your first review! Glad you're liking the story, especially the political intrigue. I haven't read Ocram Ziad but maybe I should give it a look if it's in the same vein as mine. And though this tale may be incomplete for now, rest assured it will someday see the back cover that let's you know the tale is done. Hope you decided to stick around for the ride!**

**And that'll do it for me here. Until next time everyone, stay classy!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: What's up everyone! Another month gone by, another chapter of My Life, My Kingdom, My War hot off the presses. Now, normally I do review roundups at the end of the chapter, and I will, but I do want to address one question from the always insightful RJWritingInk, namely how long this story will last. I imagine a couple of you may have had that question. The truth is I don't exactly know… I have my plot all laid out but I could add some things or cut others. However, as it stands right now this is looking like a 20 chapter fic, so last chapter was around the 1/3****rd**** mark. If three acts were good enough for the ancient Greeks, they're good enough for me. Anyway, we're sticking with our dynamic Starco pairing for this chapter and I know that's what you all come here for anyway so let's get started!**

**Chapter 8: A festival you say?**

* * *

It might have been early in the morning, but Marco was already awake and working; a task aided by the lack of a certain blonde-haired princess demanding they sleep in or pestering him about something else. They'd been moving quickly since Marco had nearly drowned, the traveling merchant eager to make up the lost time and restock their nearly depleted supplies. They were nearly at Ironbend now and had made one short stop in this village just a day's travel away. The small village inn hadn't had any rooms with two beds in it and though he and Star had gotten closer he was not about to suggest that they start sharing a bed on a full-time basis, so he'd laid out the extra money for a second room right across the hall from his. Seeing as how Star hadn't snuck into his room at some point in the night, he assumed she'd managed to sleep just fine. In the meantime, he'd taken advantage of his body rousing him to wakefulness early in the morning to take stock of some things. He had several sheets of paper spread out around him on the small writing desk in the room along with a quill, ink, and several stacks of coins in different denominations from a few different kingdoms, though most were local Mewni coins. What he had in front of him was the near sum total of every copper he had to the Diaz name. Then there was the lead he was hoping to unload in Ironbend which should bring him a nice profit and one or two small holdings he'd left with creditors. Then there were his expenses… checking over the numbers Marco was pleasantly surprised to find that despite having a second person traveling with him that he actually was doing rather well for himself. Marco spared a thought for how much of that was due to his superior skills as a merchant versus Star's ability to seemingly get most of their drinks and meals for free wherever they went. "Definitely me," he said out loud to himself. A couple more good deals on his way to bringing Star north and he'd have more than enough to load up on goods when he returned to the south. If he played his cards right and kept ahead of the market, he'd have enough to open up a shop somewhere in the next year or two. He'd find a nice town somewhere and settle down. Open a store, make some lasting connections and get started on finding the future Mrs. Diaz. It was a good life, a happy life, the kind he'd told Star all traveling merchants aspired to.

Despite that, he felt a small pang in his chest as his eyes ran over the rows of figures and his mind raced years into the future with his plans. _When he finished bringing Star to the North,_ he thought. They hadn't known each other that long but she had become a welcome presence on the wagon and in the villages he'd passed through. She brought a certain energy wherever she went that even Marco found infectious despite himself. He wasn't looking forward to the rapidly approaching day where they'd part ways, but such was the life of a traveling merchant in most cases. Constant travel on the road allowed you to meet an amazing variety of people, but never for very long. Sometimes you were able to make friendships with naturally gregarious people, like Ferguson, though even that was more of a warm business connection than anything; but few lifelong companions. His journey with Star was even more unusual given the circumstances. Once their journey came to an end, it wasn't as if Marco could just go and visit her any time he was in the area; she'd be the Queen after all! It was part of the reason Marco wanted to settle down, to find that sense of community, of belonging. So he wouldn't have to say any more goodbyes.

The sound of the door slamming open shocked Marco out of his melancholy. Startled, he partially jumped out of his char, painfully banging his knee on the underside of the desk, which managed to send his carefully stacked coins flying all over the place.

"Good Morning Marcoooo!" Came Star's singsong voice as she lowered her leg from where she had kicked the door in. "Happy three week friend-aversary!"

Grimacing over the pain in his knee and grumbling at the now jumbled coins, Marco slowly got to reorganizing. "Star, I was in the middle of something here and now look at it! And what the heck is a "friend-aversary" anyway?

Still smiling good-naturedly, Star walked over to where Marco was sitting and knelt down alongside the chair, helping to gather some of the coins that had spilled over onto the floor. "It's a celebration of course! We became friends exactly three weeks ago today! I mean I guess technically it's tonight but still! We should celebrate! Oh, I know! We could spend the day in the village and hang out."

"Star, no."

"Oh c'mon Marco, why not?" Star pouted.

"Because we could make Ironbend by tonight if we leave soon enough. I can finally unload all that lumpy metal from my wagon."

"And replace it with a bunch of smaller pieces of round metal instead," Star grumbled as she picked up another coin. "Hey, Marco. What's this?"

Looking over, Marco saw Star was holding up a gold coin. It was smaller than a Gold Butterfly and instead of its namesake stamped into the back there was a stylization of an archway. "Yang-shik imperial gold," he answered. Seeing the confusion on Star's face he elaborated, "It's a coin from a kingdom far, far to the east of here."

"Okayyyy… but why do you have it?"

"Merchant from Yang-shik gave it to me as change one time in a port."

"But why did he have it? Didn't he have Butterflies?"

Having straightened out his pile Marco turned to give Star his full attention. "Did Glossaryck teach you about different currencies, or anything about economics?"

Thinking it over, Star snapped her fingers. "He said money was just a medium!"

Marco nodded, "Exactly. Money only has as much value as people put in it. They trust they can use it to purchase things and so they're willing to accept it in turn when they sell anything from apples to silk to swords. But that trust only goes so far, and usually people are only comfortable trading in currencies they know. So if I tried to use a Butterfly somewhere else, or a silver oak, if the people I was buying from hadn't heard of Mewni… they probably wouldn't accept it."

Star turned the idea over in her head. "But… they'd still know its silver or gold, right? Wouldn't that be enough?"

Marco gave her a half-smile; she was getting better at this. "Maybe. But if they didn't know anything about Mewni then for all they knew our coins could just be pieces of wood covered in a tiny bit of metal. Confidence and trust are key. Not just in me, the merchant who's already trying to buy cheap or sell high, but in the kingdom the money is coming from. There's only a few coins in the world that just about everyone knows about or that everyone uses. And if you're a kingdom whose people lose confidence in the value of their money or if another currency supplants yours, that could be almost as bad as losing a war. You've effectively been conquered.

"All for these little bits of metal?"

"All for those little bits of metal," Marco nodded sagely. "Now let's use some of this metal to get some breakfast. We don't have to leave just yet so we can walk around the village for a bit and see what looks good."

Star immediately brightened at the prospect. "Okay! C'mon, race you downstairs!", she shouted, completely forgetting that Marco still had to finish cleaning up the last of his coins. Or maybe that was the point. He'd definitely come to realize that Star wasn't above underhanded tricks when it came to getting her way. Throwing the last of the coins in his purse-string bag, Marco strode out of the room, shutting the door behind him on the way out. When he reached the top of the stairs, he could see Star bouncing up and down on the ground floor. _Excited for something as simple as breakfast_, Marco thought as he shook his head ruefully. But at this point he'd come to accept that this was just part of who Star was. As they made their way out the door of the inn and into the village, she flashed him a wide smile before racing off again. As if racing ahead of Marco would let her get breakfast faster, never mind that Marco would be the one paying for it. Feeling that small pang in his chest again, Marco sighed. _No, _he thought, _definitely not looking forward to the day she and I need to say goodbye._

* * *

One hearty breakfast later, today had been fresh wheat rolls that they could dip in sheep's milk porridge with chunks of apples and dried berries floating in them, the pair were taking a causal stroll around the village center as the small community slowly came to life. Marco had wanted to get on the road right away but Star had entreated him to let them stay for just a little longer. The similarities to the situation that had run them out of the previous town had been palpable, and Marco had almost brought them up… but ultimately held himself back. There wasn't anyone chasing them this time after all and it was still fairly early.

More people were about and moving now. Farmers who had been up at dawn to tend the fields were slowly making their way home for breakfast. Daughters and sisters were coming and going bearing buckets laden with fresh milk while a small group of boys headed out of the village towards the woods sitting at the edge of the field; the large axes slung over their shoulders telling Marco all he needed to know. He could hear a horse whinny in time with the sound of a beating hammer as it had new shoes put on, the bleating of a goat as it angrily resisted being pulled and the mumbled cursing of the man holding the end of its tether trying to make it come along. And underpinning all of it was the unmistakably sound of children laughing as in one and twos they came shooting out of their houses like arrows launched from bows. Congregating in groups large and small they set off to different patches of bare ground or to the grassy fields around them, utterly heedless of whoever they tripped up along the way, their fun all consuming. It brought Marco back to fond days when he'd accompanied his mom or dad to town and had played with the local kids. They'd been more than willing to accept him into their group, there were no barriers to entry for the exalted guilds of children's games after all, and looking back on it Marco suspected that he'd been a curiosity to them as well. A darker skinned boy from outside the village who showed up often enough they would remember him but not frequently enough they could unravel his mysteries… whatever mysteries had amounted to in the mind of a seven-year-old that is.

Another peaceful farming village then. Semi-prosperous in its own way; more in community than in physical wealth, but Marco had seen these sorts of people before. He doubted that anyone down on their luck would end up sleeping on the street or going hungry. A family suffering from an illness would have their fields plowed or harvested by neighbors, and debts would be repaid slowly over the years, with honor being more of a concern than the actual amount of gold that was given. And yet, Marco could see something every so slightly… off, in the eyes of the villagers as they met his gaze. It wasn't a hostility towards outsiders; Marco had seen enough of that firsthand to know what that looked like. A wariness then? No, that wasn't it either. Further musings on Marco's part were interrupted by the rhythmic sound of a tapping cane grew closer. Turning his attention to the source of the sound, Marco saw an older gentleman approaching. He was wearing a well-kept but clearly homespun green tunic and was walking with the assistance of the aforementioned cane; oak by the look of it. He had a thick ash grey beard that Marco imagined was once a deep red, and was completely bald on the top of his head, made up for by the long grey hair along the side of his scalp that hung past his ears. He approached Star and Marco with an open warmth that spoke of a friendly nature, but also walked, cane or not, with the confidence of someone who had lived in this village his entire life and could probably navigate it blindfolded on a moonless night without issue.

"A fine morning to both of you," the man greeted as he drew near. "Forgive me for troubling you but I always enjoy meeting the travelers who stop by." He gave Marco and Star a warm smile.

Marco returned the smile with one of his own and held out his hand. "It's no trouble at all. My name is Marco Diaz."

The man grasped Marco's hand, the young merchant could feel the strength in the grip and the rough callouses on his hands. This was a man who had spent a life at physical labor. No surprise in a farming community like this one. After releasing Marco's hand, he then held it out to Star. "And your name, young lady?"

Star found the old man's easy grin infectious and returned it with one of her own. He seemed a lot like Glossaryck! "Estrella Mariposa! You're really lucky to live in such a nice place. Everything here is so beautiful!"

The old man gave another small laugh. "Well, we do take pride in our little home. After all, it's ours. My name is Micha, the village Headsman. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Ah, so that explained the easygoing nature coupled with the sense of confidence, Marco thought. A lot of villages named their elders as leaders. Long memories were valued in places with few books and probably fewer records after all. Micha turned his attention back to Marco, eyes wandering up and down the young man's frame. "By the look of it I'd say you're a traveling merchant, eh lad?"

"I don't suppose you managed to learn that secret by talking to the innkeeper this morning, did you?" Marco joked back good-naturedly.

"You wouldn't ask an old man to give up his secrets, now would you?"

"If I were a merchant, I'm sure I could find the right price."

"Perhaps you could." The pair shared a laugh. "Ah, you have a good wit," Micha sighed. "I'm sure that's helped a young one like you on your travels, hmmm?"

Marco actually blushed a little at that. "I'm not that young…" he mumbled.

Turning his attention to Star briefly, Micha said "Does he always embarrass that easily?" Throwing in a wink. Star attempted, and failed, to stifle her giggles, causing Marco's blush to deepen. Micha turned his attention back to Marco. "Lad, when you get to be my age, everyone is young. It's nice to see two kind young people traveling together. I trust you'll be staying for the festival this evening?"

"Festival?" Star and Marco said simultaneously.

"Why yes," Micha said. "Summer's end is nearly upon us after all. Our village holds a celebration every year around this time to welcome the autumn and the harvest. We give thanks to the universe for seeing us through another growing season and ask that it keeps our crops ripe and our livestock fat till the snows come so that we might make it through another winter. There'll be a feast here in the town center, a bonfire, music. And… bless him but young Kanan is going to try his hand at poetry again. If I'm lucky I'll get him to hold off until everyone's nearly passed out from drink. He means well but there's more substance in his arm than in his head if you understand? But where was I? Forgive an old man his ramblings. Ah, yes! So, I hope you will be joining us then. We would happily welcome to more to our tables this year."

"So a big festival with lots of free food and drink you say, hmmm?" Star said inquisitively; though her gaze was directed not at Micha but rather at Marco. The unspoken question was dancing in her eyes.

Marco was torn about how to answer. He really had wanted to get to Ironbend today. But was there really any reason to apart from wanting to move quicker? He recalled his thoughts from earlier that morning about how quickly his time with Star already seemed to be coming to an end, and the pangs in his chest that accompanied such thoughts. If that was the case, wasn't it worth extending their journey together, even if it was just by a single day? On the other hand, the memories of previous delays flashed through his mind. The delay that had gotten them chased out of the last town, the delay with Ferguson that had left Star to wander around Tresting all by herself… the delay when he'd been playing with the kids in Echo Creek the night of the fire. Marco mentally berated himself for that last one. He'd been twelve at the time! What exactly was he supposed to have done? Back to the matter at hand… they really shouldn't be wasting any time now; not just because Marco wanted to get on with his business but because every day they were moving was another day Toffee wouldn't find Star. Still… the peacefulness of the village, Micha's inviting demeanor, Star's pouting… did she really have to do that every time?!

With a sigh, Marco came to a decision. "Okay, okay… we can stay!"

"Yes!" Star shouted in triumph, the excited noise attracting the attention of a group of younger girls who came over to see what all the commotion was about.

As they approached, one of them looked up at Star in awe. "You're so pretty!"

"Awwww, thank you!" Star beamed at them.

"Will you come play with us?" Asked another.

"Yeah! Come play with us!" Insisted a third.

Star cast a questioning glance over at Marco, who merely shrugged. "Not like I'm going anywhere," he said neutrally.

With a small smile in thanks, Star turned her attention back to the gaggle of children, who seemed to be growing by the minute, as they grabbed her by the hands and hung off her arms, dragging the princess off to whatever game they had probably invented just that morning. Marco shook his head in, somewhat, mock exasperation. "It's always something with her," he muttered quietly to himself. Though evidently not quietly enough as Micha let out a quiet laugh.

"Children really are one of life's greatest treasures. It's been the greatest joy of my life to watch the flowers of this village blossom and bring the next generation along with them. I feel all my years when I look at them, but I can't help but be happy all the same."

"I'm sure the village appreciates all those years whenever there's a dispute to be settled. No one ever wants to be the one yelling at their elder after all." Marco said by way of reply.

"Aye, that's fair enough master Diaz."

"Please, just call me Marco. Truth be told I've never been particularly interested in the whole formality thing."

"Marco then," Micha nodded in agreement. He jerked his head in the direction that the village children had dragged Star off to. "That's quite the young lady you have traveling with you. So full of life and joy. I imagine it must be quite a pleasure having her as a companion."

"Frustrating is the word I would use, actually. Estrella can be very… VERY, frustrating."

Micha laughed once more. "Young love can always seem frustrating at times. Feelings that intense always bring out the passion in both people. Mostly better, sometimes not as much."

Marco turned his head to face Micha so fast that his neck nearly cracked. "Young love? No… no, no, no. We're not in love. She's just my traveling companion… and also my friend. But that's all. Trust me, we've spent nearly every moment together for the last three weeks. If there were something there, I would know about it."

Micha shrugged, his cane making a light tap as it collided with the hard-packed earth. "Perhaps you're right. I'll admit my eyesight isn't what it used to be after all. Then again, in my experience I've always found that regardless of how old you are, the hardest things to see are those which are right in front of your nose."

Looking to change the subject, Marco replied. "Speaking of seeing things, forgive me if this sounds forward but some of the villagers… it's difficult to describe. They look weary, downcast. That's not exactly how I'd expect a village like this to look right before a major festival. And somehow I don't think it's because there are a pair of outsiders in town."

Micha's smile faded, his mouth forming a grim line as his brow creased. As old as he already was, in Macro's eyes it appeared as if he'd aged another decade in the last few seconds. "Perceptive. Quite the quality in a merchant I'd imagine." He said after some time. He then turned toward Marco. "Would you be willing to take a walk with an old man?"

"And where exactly would I be walking to?" Marco asked, suddenly wary. His hand drifted ever so slightly towards the pommel of his sword.

It seemed, however, that Marco wasn't the only perceptive one, his eyes catching Marco's subtle movement. "Do you really think I could overpower you young Marco?"

Marco relaxed some as he allowed himself more than a moment to think about the situation. "Sorry. The last couple of weeks have given me enough trouble to keep me on my toes," he said with some embarrassment. Micha waved away the apology.

"No need for apologies. The roads out here aren't what they used to be after all." Right, as if bandits were what Marco was actually worried about. "Will you be joining me then?" Micha called out as Marco realized that the old man had already started walking away. Marco jogged a few paces to catch up with the village headsman before the two began strolling alongside one another through the village. Before long they had escaped the winding, dirt paths that substituted for streets amidst the houses and few businesses in the community and were now strolling amongst well-kept fields with ripening crops. Marco could spot wheat, rye, beans, and carrots; all in abundance. And the livestock in town had looked lively enough… and had certainly been loud enough. There didn't appear to be a blight on any of the crops either. So no eminent starvation then. And the villagers hadn't had the subdued looks of a people dealing with a plague. The grim reality of eking out an existence while your family and neighbors dropped dead around you could dampen even the heartiest of spirits. But Marco hadn't seen anyone with that haggard look. Besides, sickness usually came for the eldest and youngest first, and Marco's walk with Micha coupled with Star being dragged off to play by the village's children seemed to put that idea to rest. What was happening here then? And could it really be so bad that Micha was willing to reach out to a pair of traveling strangers for help?

Marco soon spotted what he though was their destination. A grassy, untouched knoll that rose well above the surrounding farmland. Empty save for a tall oak tree atop it. Marco could make out the spreading eaves and the thickness of the trunk even from a fair distance away. Clearly the hunk of wood had been a longtime occupant of the enviable hilltop. Lord and master of all the lesser crops below it that were destined to be cut down and either eaten by the villagers or picked over by the hogs and goats who would come to rummage after the harvest.

The pair soon reached the base of the knoll and began walking up the slope towards the summit, Marco sticking closer to Micha than was perhaps necessary as the village elder seemed to struggle with bringing himself up the gradual slope. When he stumbled a bit Marco instinctively lunged towards him to prevent him from falling but Micha steadied himself well before Marco could do anything. Rounding on him, the older man snapped, "Damnit boy I don't need coddling! I am not so old yet." Properly cowed, Marco nodded and the two soon crested the summit, Micha having begun moving decidedly faster after Marco's near intervention.

Walking up to the large tree, Micha patted the trunk affectionately, as if greeting an old friend, before turning his attention back to Marco. "When I was a young man, probably a few years younger than you, I found a seed in the forest that I didn't recognize. I resolved to plant it on the top of this hill. I was convinced it would grow into a tree with leaves like none had ever seen before, or perhaps a giant vine that would carry me into the sky where I would be rewarded with gifts or powers. You can imagine my surprise when it turned out all I had planted was a simple oak tree. Apparently, the seed I had never seen before was really just an acorn with an unusual amount of dirt on it. But I tended to it all the same, and it has rewarded me with shade whenever I come up here these last 40 or so years. Take a look around, the view really is fantastic."

Walking around the perimeter of the knoll, Marco had to agree with Micha. The knoll didn't seem that high, but with just about everything else around it being flat, you could see the verdant fields and the herds of sheep beyond them. The village laid sprawled out below in its winding, warren-like style, and the world stretched out around them in all directions. The old man began speaking again, drawing Marco's attention back to him. "I have lived my entire life in this village. I grew up among those buildings and these fields. I fell in love with a young girl and married her. I wept with joy when our son was born and wept with grief when the wandering yearning in his heart bade him to leave and seek his fame. He finally settled down in the Opal Islands off the southern coast. When my wife passed, universe rest her soul, he came home and asked me to join him. But by then the village had named me headsman and I just couldn't leave. Just as he had been my responsibility when he was a boy, now they were my responsibility. I think… or I hope he understands that. This little village… this small corner of the earth, means everything to me." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Forgive me, I find that each year I grow more wistful about the past. Everything seemed more peaceful back then, though goodness knows we had our troubles then too. I'm sure you know by now I didn't merely stop to speak with you and your companion just to bid you a good morning."

Marco turned to face Micha. "I'll admit the casual walk outside the village was a bit of a giveaway."

Micha gave a short bark of laughter. "And here I thought I was being clever. Well then, no use in flitting about it. Our village is in trouble young Marco, and I have brought you up here to ask for your help."

"And what exactly makes you think I'm in any position to help? Or that I'd even want to?"

"If you were going to play the indifferent game with me, you should have kept me from seeing how your companion convinced you to stay for the festival. I believe you have a good heart and a gentle soul."

"Sta… Estrella, is my friend and traveling companion. You are a complete stranger who I might never see again. That's not exactly a fair comparison." Marco retorted.

"And yet despite your attempts to make excuses, I cannot help but notice that you haven't actually refused my request for help, now have you?" Micha's mouth tugged upward ever so slightly in a smirk.

Marco sighed in resignation. Maybe Star really had made him go soft. Or at least it was better to put the blame on her now; he could already tell that somehow, he was going to end up regretting this. "And if I was willing to help you? That still doesn't explain why I would be able to do anything." He gestured with his chin down towards the village, "I'm sure there are plenty of people down there with good hearts after all."

Micha nodded in agreement. "Certainly. But none of them have what you do. You are a merchant. And, more importantly, you are an outsider. That means you have no biases or conflicting loyalties."

Okay… well now Marco was definitely confused. What did being an outsider have to do with anything? "Why don't you start from the beginning?" He asked Micha.

"You can see all the fields in the village from up here, yes? What do you see the most of?"

Marco did a quick survey. "Wheat and rye?" He asked.

Micha nodded. "Exactly. Most everything else we grow is either for us or for the livestock. But just about all the wheat and rye gets ground up and sent out. It's where we get our hard coin from when we need it. Now, you see that hill out there on the horizon? The one with the manor sitting on top of it?" Micha pointed off to the mid-horizon where, sure enough, Marco could spot a similarly rising hillock with the faint outline of a structure on top of it. When Marco nodded that he could, in fact, see the manor, Micha continued. "That's Lord Issa's manor. Minor country noble, vassal of Lord Horseford."

"The Privy Council member? Lord Raymond Horseford?" Marco asked.

"The very same," Micha nodded. "Years ago, the village made a deal with him that instead of him sending tax collectors down here every year that he could put a fee on the mill where we grind our grain into flour before sending it out. It saved him time and it saved us having to deal with tax collectors who liked to, let's say, ensure they were well treated. It was a perfectly fine situation, until it wasn't."

"What happened?" Marco asked, confused. It sounded like the villagers had actually done quite well for themselves. Paying a standard fee at the mill rather than dealing with the tax collectors surely made everyone in the village a little better off.

"Well the mill isn't exactly around here, as you can see," Micha gestured around in a circle for emphasis. "It's actually about a half day's travel east. We don't have many horses and wagons so the trips after the harvest can take days to get all the flour ground down, and right when everyone is at their most exhausted. And even with paying a fee instead of yearly taxes, some still thought they were being charged too much. So, during last year's harvest, a few of the younger lads made their own hand mills to grind their flour themselves. It's far slower than grinding the grain at the river mill of course but they were able to do it at home and, naturally, no fee. I tried to talk them out of it… told them it was foolish…" Micha paused again to gather his thoughts, though Marco had an idea of what was coming.

"How did Lord Issa find out?" Marco asked in preemption.

Micha shrugged tiredly. "That's a question I've devoted countless hours to over the last year. A neighbor jealous of one of the rule breakers? Someone just looking to gain favor with Issa or collect a reward? Maybe someone let the secret slip at the inn one night when the wrong person was within earshot? I like to think it's that last one. Better a loose tongue from too much drink on the wrong night than someone betraying all his neighbors for gold or petty revenge. Not that it mattered in the end of course."

"Lord Issa must've been furious when he found out."

"Oh, he was. In his eyes we hadn't just broken the law, we'd taken advantage of his generosity. When I went to plead for mercy for the village, he began screaming at how this had been our plan all along. By switching over from taxes to a mill fee we had kept tax collectors from inspections so we could grind our flour right under his nose. I tried to point out all the ways that wasn't true, but in his anger, he didn't seem to be in much of a listening mood. Children…" He finished with a sad shake of his head.

"So what happened next? I can't imagine there wasn't some sort of punishment."

Micha scoffed, "Of course there was, you're smart enough to know that. I was surprised at first when we were told that instead of reinstituting taxes, he was going to keep the mill fee…. Until he tripled it." Marco gave an involuntary low whistle. He had no idea what the mill fee originally was but it had probably been reasonable. It would have to have been if the villagers had any hope of selling the flour. But tripling that cost, then adding in the replacement seed, the fact that the village would keep some flour to bake their own bread or as a reserve… Marco didn't need to run the calculations in his head to know that Lord Issa had essentially condemned the village to permanent poverty with some starvation likely.

If there wasn't any money to be made in selling flour, the village would stop growing wheat and rye, which meant no mill fees, which meant Lord Issa would switch back to taxes, which the villagers wouldn't have the hard coin to pay with since they weren't selling flour, which meant they'd have to pay in kind with a share of the crop which meant even less food after the reduction in wheat growth and… he had to stop his thoughts racing away from him. Situations like this tended to end in one of three ways: starvation, rebellion, or the dissolution of the village as people left to find work or land elsewhere. Regardless of the outcome, it was a story that rarely had a happy ending for the villagers.

Micha could see the understanding in Marco's eyes as his mind worked on outlining the situation. "He's also sending a patrol of soldiers from the manor once a week to check the village for hand mills to keep us from cheating again. He's promised to hang anyone who has one in their possession. They actually came through on their latest inspection the day before you arrived, that's partly why everyone was so on edge this morning. Strangers haven't exactly been harbingers of good news lately."

"And they're worried about the harvest." Marco gestured around at the fields of ripening grain below. "It can't be more than a few weeks from now."

"Two or three if the weather holds." Micha agreed.

There was silence between the two as Micha stared out over his home while Marco tried to squash the well of sympathy bubbling up inside him. He was a lot like these villagers in some ways; outwardly prosperous but balancing along the knife's edge of ruin. One pissed off noble for the village, or a disgruntled drunk with a knife for Marco, or some other unforeseen catastrophe for either of them, and it was all over. Of course, that didn't mean Marco would be able to help if he stayed, or even that he should. After all, Micha couldn't have known that his village was hosting the heir to the throne. A disgruntled noble was one thing but wouldn't it be even worse for these people if there was no queen of Mewni, right? So then why did he feel so guilty? The answer was obvious of course… it just wasn't one he was willing to confront. Besides, this wasn't just his decision. Though he could already guess what Star's reaction was going to be…

"I'd need to speak with my traveling companion about this."

"Of course," Micha nodded before gazing up at the sky. "It's getting close to mid-day anyway; we should return to the village. I'm sure preparations for the festival are well under way and there'll be a meal on." Macro's stomach chose that moment to grumble in betrayal, causing Micha to laugh as he began the descent back down the hillside. Marco bit the inside of his cheek on the way down to suppress a groan. It would have been much easier to reject aiding the village if the man wasn't so damn pleasant! He wondered how much of that was Micha's actual personality and how much of it was an act for dealing with everything from disgruntled nobles to fighting villagers to overly suspicious merchants. No one ever suspected an entirely open opponent after all.

It didn't take long for the pair to make their way back into the village center and, as Micha had promised, the central square was now enclosed by a rectangle of poles with different colored strips of cloth hanging along lengths of rope tied between them. A collection of tables, stools, benches, barrels, and anything else that looked like it would seat a person had been set up in clusters and along the perimeter. The center of the square where Micha had first approached Star and Marco this morning was now the site of a haphazard pile of logs and kindling. The young men who Marco had seen heading into the woods with axes earlier were now slowly assembling that pile into a large pyre. Marco could smell the open barrel of pitch sitting next to them from across the square and wrinkled his nose in distaste. Also as promised, off to the right there was a large cast-iron caldron with steam lazily wafting out from the lid. Several people were standing around and ladling thick bowls of what looked like stew into wooden bowls and handing them out with thick cuts of bread and a hunk of hard cheese. The savory flavor emanating from the caldron quickly overpowered the smell of the pitch and Marco made a beeline for it, practically forgetting about Micha who was again muttering about young people under his breath… maybe. Marco admittedly wasn't paying that close attention.

As he approached Marco noticed one of the young ladies serving lunch looked familiar and that could only mean, "Sta…. Estrella?" Damnit, he really needed to work on those almost slipups.

"Hey Marco!" Star cheerfully waved at him. "Hungry?"

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Learning how to knit, what's it look I'm doing?" Star shot back sarcastically before proceeding to nudge him off to the side and serve a couple of the young men who'd been setting things up. One of them shot her a flirtatious wink, causing Star to giggle in delight. She moved the sleeves of her dress out of the way, pinning them back up by her elbows, and had tied a red neckerchief around the top of her head that matched the flow of her hair so that the point was hanging down towards her neck. Speaking of her hair, it was still in her usual braid but someone had clearly been at it because it was studded with wildflowers. Honestly, if Marco hadn't already known who she really was, it would have been easy to mistake Star for just another one of the villagers. It was amazing how quickly she was able to make bonds with some people.

Grabbing a bowl off a nearby table, Marco came back in front of Star. "Mind if I have some?"

"Hmmmm…. I don't know," she said teasingly. "This is supposed to be lunch for people who were helping set up for the festival. Not sure I saw you around this morning."

"I was busy doing other things!" Marco said indignantly. Then, in a much quieter voice so that only Star could hear him, "things I need to talk to you about."

Star's teasing look quickly became more serious. "Grab a second bowl," she instructed him. When Marco had done so, Star filled both with a helping of the rich stew and cut a bread trencher and a hunk of cheese for each of them. They walked over to a small bench and sat down next to each other. "What's going on?" Star asked. But Marco was too busy wolfing his lunch down.

He took a breath just long enough to say "talk later, eating first" before diving back in, leaving Star to shake her head in exasperation. Another pause in his drive to demolish his lunch, "What did you do with your morning anyway? The new flowers are nice by the way."

Star flushed lightly at the offhanded compliment. "Thanks. But after you left all those kids had me playing with them out in some of the fields. They added the flowers which was really sweet… though it hit a little close to home when they said it made me look like a princess." Marco shared a grimace with her. "Right… but after that I came back here looking for you and the next thing I know some nice woman gave me this bandana and I'm helping set up all this," she gestured around and the almost completed festival decorations. "Gotta say, these people are really kind. They barely know me but they welcomed me right in. But… I can't tell what it is, and this might sound crazy, but I feel like there's something off about them to. Like there's a big secret the whole village is keeping. I… forget it; of course it sounds crazy." Star trailed off as she turned to her own lunch while Marco set his now empty utensils down.

"Actually… it doesn't," he began, instantly getting Star's attention. "In fact, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see Micha and I took a walk to that hill just outside the village over there and he told me…" Over the next several minutes, Marco repeated the conversation he'd had with Micha that morning. About the bargain the village had struck with Lord Issa, how some in the village had broken that bargain, and what Lord Issa's response had been. He then added his own conclusions on what would happen if the situation didn't change for the villagers. As the story went on, Star took fewer and fewer bites of her own lunch before eventually setting it off to the side completely. She'd lost her appetite it seemed.

"So that's the situation, essentially," Marco concluded as he finished recounting what was happening.

"We're helping these people." Star said without a moment of hesitation. _Point one for Marco_, he thought to himself.

"Star, think about this. I mean really, really think about this. I don't know if there's anything we can do to help these people. And even if we could, I have no idea how long it might take. I know it hurts but we have to keep moving. Even tiny delays could be a huge problem."

"You're just saying that so you can get to Ironbend quicker and make money!" She shout-whispered at him, tears springing to the corner of her eyes.

"I'm saying it because if Toffee catches you then these people won't have a queen and then they'll be even more fucked then they are now." Marco tried to keep his tone level but couldn't help the bit of heat that crept into his words at Star's accusation.

Star's face went from anger to a fierce kind of seriousness that Marco hadn't seen from her before. "Marco, if I can't help save a single village then even if I take the throne these people won't have a queen. Because I won't be worth the title."

Marco tried again. "But you can't help them as Princess Star Butterfly right now. You have to know that revealing your identity to Lord Issa would be suicide. And I'm not sure how much Estrella Mariposa, traveling companion to some Andelesian traveling merchant, can do."

"It doesn't matter, I have to try anyway. Now, are you going to help me or not?" She stood and held out a hand for him.

Marco found the smallest piece of optimism in the gesture. Maybe Star really would find a way. Grinning, he took her hand and allowed her to pull him to his feet. "What else are friends and traveling companions for?" He said. She shot him a grin back and together the pair set off to find Micha.

* * *

"So, you'd really be willing to speak with Lord Issa on our behalf then?" Micha seemed more surprised than Marco would've thought. He'd assumed the man had gone through the whole show of asking for their assistance because he knew they'd say. Maybe he really was taking a gamble on them. Marco didn't like how that boded for their chances, but they'd come this far.

"Yes!" Star said enthusiastically, slapping her hand down on the desk between them. They had found Micha in what served as the village's main hall where Micha kept a small office off to the side.

"Why this is fantastic news! The villagers will be overjoyed to hear it!" Micha was equally enthusiastic. _He definitely gambled it all on us then,_ Marco thought.

"Let's not weigh our gold before biting it," he said sensibly. Micha and Star both gave him baffled looks. "It's a merchant's expression…" he muttered before regaining his composure and pointedly ignoring the now laughing Star beside him. "Anyway, what can you tell us about Lord Issa? What's his temperament normally like? Does he have any weaknesses? Debts that you know about? A fondness for a particular kind of alcohol? Are we even going to be able to get an audience with him?"

"Lord Issa's normally well-tempered. In all the years I've been headman of this village this incident with the hand mills is the only time I've seen him truly angry. I think he may have actually been hurt by this whole incident. He's prideful, that much is obvious. He takes special pride of his holdings, and in being a vassal to the Horsefords. I wouldn't know about any debts and he likes red wine the best. As for the audience…" Micha rummaged through the drawers in the desk until he found a piece of parchment which he promptly began scribbling on. "He _should_, grant you an audience with this. Just present it to the guards and tell them you're a representative from the village. The seal at the bottom should prove your authenticity."

"And how long will it take to get to the manor?"

"No more than a couple of hours. If all goes well you should be back before nightfall, well in time for the festival."

"That might be a little too optimistic," Marco tried to caution only to grunt in pain as Star stamped on his foot from her seat next to him.

"Marco's a pessimist by nature," Star explained to Micha, ignoring Marco's protest of "hey!" "You can trust us." She reached a hand out and grasped one of Micha's. "We won't fail this village. You've been so kind to us already."

Micha gave the girl a warm smile and returned the pressure. "Thank you, young Estrella. It warms my heart to see such enthusiasm. You give an old man hope for the future. Though, speaking of kindnesses…" Micha opened yet another drawer, this time depositing a small cloth purse on the table that rang with the unmistakable contact of coins rattling against one another as it hit the table.

"A bribe for Lord Issa's guards?" Marco questioned.

Micha shook his head. "It would take more than this to get his men to disobey him. No, this is a way of giving thanks to the two of you. Think of it as payment for services rendered."

Star immediately tried to push the bag back towards Micha. "You've done so much already; we couldn't possibly take this." She was pointedly ignoring Marco's outstretched arm as he'd very clearly had no problem taking the coins.

Micha gently but firmly pushed the bag back towards Star. "I insist. If it makes you feel any better, no one will starve because of this." This time Star didn't stop Marco as he picked up the bag.

"May I ask…?" Marco trailed off, hefting the bag without opening it. He didn't want to be rude but he needed to know.

"Cressian Copper," Micha answered. Marco grimaced. Cressia was a kingdom to the south of Mewni that had been conquered over a decade earlier. The new rulers had made the old coinage illegal because it'd had the likeness of the old king stamped on all denominations. Because a lot of trade had moved between the two kingdoms some of the coins had survived, but not a lot of merchants excepted them in general, and that only got worse the further north you went.

Micha noticed Marco's look and looked apologetic. "I truly do wish we could do more. As I said this morning, most of our hard coin comes with the flour trade every year. We're always lowest on coins right before the harvest and this year of course…" Marco held up a hand.

"It's a generous gesture either way," Marco said as he pocketed the bag. "You may call this a reward; I call it a contract. And merchants don't break contracts. We'll make sure this gets fixed." He and Star rose from their seats and made to leave the room. Looking back over his shoulder, Marco called out, "just make sure to leave us a place at the festival tonight!"

* * *

A short while later Star and Marco were on the wagon and rapidly approaching Lord Issa's manor. Marco was running through a mental checklist, they had the letter with the seal to gain entrance, wine as a gift, great. As if going over that two-item checklist for the hundredth time in the last hour brought him any closer on how to actually figure this out. What he also couldn't figure out is why Star was choosing now to brush her hair.

"Hey, Marco?" Star paused in brushing her hair.

"Mhmm?" Marco half-grunted in response, running through the checklist again.

"Can I borrow that tnag-soup…?"

"Yang-shik." Marco corrected her.

"Whatever. Can I borrow it?"

Marco's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you want it for exactly?"

"What? You worried I'm going to steal it or something?" Star said defensively. "What would I use it on anyway?" When Marco didn't give in she continued, "I just… want it for good luck, alright?"

"Star, there's nothing lucky about it. It's just a piece of gold," Marco chided gently.

"I know but all the same… please?" Star opened up with the puppy-dog eyes and Marco was forced to look away. The coin's luck aside, Star was right, there wasn't anything she could do with it, and it's not like she was going to run away.

Passing the reins to Star temporarily, she'd taken to steering the wagon rather well after realizing how similar it was to riding a horse on her own, Marco dug in his coin purse until he found the small bit of gold in question and proceeded to trade it to Star for the reins again. Star quickly pocketed the coin, then went back to straightening her hair out.

It wasn't much longer before the two arrived at Lord Issa's manor. As far as holds went it was hardly the most impressive Marco had seen. Sitting atop a hill of its own it certainly had command of the surrounding ground, but the wall surrounding the grounds was made of wood and only came up to Marco's chest. Likewise, the manor itself appeared well-built, made out a common grey stone, and was tall but not imposing. This was a place for pleasure and relaxation more than defense clearly. The guards looked barely interested in Marco and Star's arrival. Not that the pair looked particularly threatening but strangers were strangers and if they had come with ill intentions… well it wasn't as if Lord Issa would have been the first noble to be targeted for assassination.

Pulling the wagon up to the gate, one of the guards approached Marco who greeted the man with a light smile and the sealed letter from Micha in-hand and outstretched. Taking the letter from him, the guard cracked open the seal and began to read. Marco could see his eyes moving over the lines of text as he occasionally paused to look at Marco before reading. With a sigh, the man motioned for his two companions to open the gate before handing the letter back to Marco. "Be sure that you hand that to the steward when you get inside. His lordship won't be happy to see you, fair warning."

Marco shrugged resignedly. "That's what they told me. Job's a job though." The guard nodded in sympathy as Marco flicked the reins and drove Bavieca inside the walls. Hopping off the wagon, Marco gave the reins to a stable boy who had come running up before joining Star as the pair walked through a set of modest double-doors that opened onto an antechamber. A small fire was burning in a hearth off to one side and a man was bent over a desk, quill moving rapidly, the scratching sound of the tip meeting the paper and the occasional crackle from the fire the only noises in the otherwise empty room. Footfalls echoing off the stone walls, Marco and Star walked towards the man who, despite clearly hearing them approach, did not look up from his work. Marco went for the direct approach and unceremoniously dropped the letter on the man's desk. To his surprise the scratching continued unabated.

"We're here for an audience with Lord Issa," Marco tried to sound as authoritative as possible.

"Lord Issa is not currently receiving any visitors," the man said without looking up, still continuing on with his writing.

Marco slowly began reaching for his coin purse, wondering if the coppers Micha had given him would be enough for a bribe when Star suddenly stepped forward and grabbed the man's quill before picking it up and promptly snapping it in half. That did cause the man to look up, his rageful face cooling only slightly when he found himself face to face with a young woman. Star, however, had no such qualms about social convention. She roughly shoved the letter into the man's lap. "Take that to him. Trust me, he'll want to see us." Star's icy tone caused even Marco to shudder. Her anger was normally fiery and over the top like the rest of her personality, but this was the first time he'd seen it this cold. It had clearly cowed the man who Marco assumed was the steward who promptly snatched the letter and nearly ran down the hall.

"Nice work," Marco whispered as soon as he thought the man was out of shot. Star shot him a quick grin in thanks before putting her icy mask back on. It didn't take long for the steward to come back, the man now clearly trying to hide his fear towards Star behind his own mask of indifference.

"Lord Issa has decided to grant an audience with you. Follow me." The steward promptly turning on his heel and walking deeper into the manor, not waiting to see if Star and Marco were following him. They were led down a corridor framed by glass windows that captured the fading afternoon sunlight before entering a large audience chamber with a single carved wooden chair sitting atop a raised platform in the center of the room. A large banner of a chestnut colored horse drinking from a pond on a field of green hung from the rafters, signifying Lord Issa's nobility. _Not exactly original to have a horse as your sigil when your liege lords are the Horsefords_, Marco thought, though he was surprised not to see Lord Issa on the throne. Instead, the steward led the pair to the far side of the audience chamber, stopping before a wooden door and politely knocking. A muffled call of "enter" was heard as the steward opened the door and signaled the two of them in.

Lord Issa was sitting at a substantial desk, reading a book that Marco couldn't make out the cover of as the steward moved off to the side of Star and Marco before bowing to his lord. "The emissaries from the village my lord, as you requested." Marco rolled his eyes, catching Star's similar scowl.

"Thank you, Ryan. You may leave us." The steward bowed low again before exiting, shutting the door behind him. Lord Issa closed his book and turned his attention to Marco and Star. "You two may as well sit, though I doubt you'll be here long enough to make yourselves comfortable."

Taking his seat on the opposite side of the desk, Marco got a good look at the lord sitting across from him. The man had thick brown hair with a lighter beard that rode high on his cheeks and sharp emerald eyes. Much like the manor though, his clothes were somewhat underwhelming compared to some of the other lords Marco had met or seen from afar. His hands were unadorned with rings and gems that Mewman nobility liked to wear as status symbols, and the green velvet of his shirt was somewhat worn. Though that made the thick gold chain around his neck with a substantial ruby mounted in the center far more prominent. Perhaps a gift from a generous Lord Raymond or a family heirloom?

"Well, get on with it then." Lord Issa's sharp voice cut through Marco's observations. Glancing over at Star for a moment, the young girl giving him a nod of encouragement, Marco adopted his best "kissing-ass" voice.

"Thank you for agreeing to receive us Lord Issa. We're here today to humbly petition you for a reprieve…"

"I know why you're here. Ryan showed me the letter." Lord Issa templed his hands together on the desk and rested his chin on them. "What I want to know is why old Micha sent the two of you?" Marco struggled to respond; Lord Issa had caught him off guard with the directness of the question.

"We… I mean Micha rather, thought that an appeal from someone from outside the village would be better able to reach an agreement."

"An agreement?" Lord Issa arched an eyebrow.

Marco took it as an opening. "Yes, your lordship. Surely an equitable negotiation would be better than this harsh punishment. The village cannot…"

"Agreements, equitable negotiations," Lord Issa spat, cutting Marco off again. "Now I see. Only merchants talk like that. As if every problem in the world were just another transaction. Let me make this plain to you then, merchant, **this**, is not a negotiation. Those villagers broke the law, my law. I am their lord and may punish them how I see fit for as long as I see fit."

"But if this should continue then the village…" Marco tried again.

"Tell me master….?"

"Diaz, Marco Diaz."

Lord Issa gave a short nod. "Tell me master Diaz, have you ever met a weak-willed lord?" Marco lightly shook his head. "I thought not. Weak lords tend not to survive long. It's strength and fear that keeps the commoners in line. I listened to Micha once. I trusted him with my generosity, trusted him when he said this would help both myself and the village proposer. A foolish mistake, one I won't be making again."

"But surely to punish everyone is too harsh for the actions of just a few?"

Lord Issa remained unmoved. "The pact I made was with the village as a whole. It was the village as a whole that violated that pact and so the village as a whole that is being punished."

Sighing, Marco took the decanter of wine that they had brought from the village and placed it on the table before the lord. "And so everyone in the village must be punished?"

Lord Issa looked at the proffered gift. "Old Micha give you that?" He asked.

Marco nodded. "He told us it was a particularly favorite vintage of yours."

Hearing that, Lord Issa's features softened ever so slightly. "He is a good man. Kind and wise. I have known him since I inherited this title. His trustworthiness is why I agreed to the first pact with the village." Then his features hardened again. "Even so, as village headman he knows the law and allowed it to be broken under his watch. Even if I wanted to spare the village for his sake, I cannot risk them thinking I have a soft spot for Micha. They would doubtless use it to take advantage of me further."

Marco was out of ideas. He had run into stubborn dealings before but deep down there had always been a mutual desire to compromise. His master had told him that everyone had their price, and for all he knew Lord Issa did. Marco just didn't know what it was or how to get there. With no other options Marco took out the bag of coins Micha had given him and placed them on the table.

Lord Issa raised an eyebrow. "You can't possible think to bribe me on this, could you?"

"No. I doubt you'd accept it no matter how much gold I had. This bag is full of Cressian Coppers. It's the last of the hard coin the village has. Micha gave it to us as payment for coming here to speak with you. He put his trust in us as strangers, in you as his lord, and the last coins in his pockets to save his village." Marco's voice rose with each word as he struggled to keep his temper in check.

Lord Issa remained impassive. "Then he has wasted his money along with all of our time. I believe I've had enough of this audience. You two may leave, Ryan will escort you out of the manor."

Marco rose, fists clenched tightly at his sides. In that moment he knew there'd be nothing more satisfying then beating the shit out of the lord, but he also knew it would probably be the last thing he ever did. He glanced sidelong at Star. Besides, he had other responsibilities. Shoulder slumping in defeat, he turned towards the door, Star rising out of her seat as well.

"You know, Marco, it really is a shame." The young merchant turned around to look at his traveling companion who was still standing in front of Lord Issa's desk. The nobleman was also looking at Star, the faintest hint of curiosity in his eyes. Seeing she had Issa's attention, she continued. "I suppose we'll have to tell our clients we won't be able to sell them flour from this area anymore."

"Your… clients?" Lord Issa asked. Now giving Star a great deal more of attention. Meanwhile Marco was panicking. What the fuck was she doing this time!? Meanwhile, Star was nodding sagely. And then she pulled the Yang-shik gold coin from her pocket.

Placing it on the desk before Lord Issa she asked, "Are you familiar with this coin My Lord?"

Issa picked the coin up, turning it over and closely looking at the arch design on the back and squinting at it before placing it back in Star's waiting palm. "Can't say that I have, no. And you are?"

"It's quite rare so I'm not surprised. After all…" she cast a quick glance at Marco, "there are only a few coins in the world that almost anyone can recognize. They change so often after all. My name is Estrella Mariposa, it's an honor to meet you my lord." Star did a quick curtsey before continuing. "You see, Marco and I are members of the Yang-shik flour guild. We're flour merchants. Guild members buy only the highest quality products and sell them all over the kingdom and beyond. Isn't that right, Marco?"

Marco jumped in. "Yes! In fact, the name of our guild comes from the coin Estrella has. The guild's first clients were merchants from Yang who paid in their coins. Every guild member carries a specialized one to signify their membership."

"Right," Star jumped back in. "And this region had some of the highest quality flour in the kingdom. There will be lords around the world who will weep at the loss of the delicious bread made from such high-quality flour…." Star paused, "Including Lord Raymond of course."

Lord Issa laughed in a loud, mocking way. "You know, you almost had me for a moment there with your strange coin and 'flour guild.' But, do you honestly expect me to believe that you personally sell flour to Lord Raymond? Or that a man as important as Lord Raymond even knows where his flour comes from?"

Now Star smirked. "I can prove it."

Wiping a tear from his eye, Lord Issa asked, "And how exactly can you do that?"

"Lord Raymond has a scar beneath his left eye from a jousting accident."

"That's common knowledge, anyone could know that."

"How about the fact that he has ten daughters?"

"Again, common." Lord Issa now had a mocking grin, but it faded as he saw Star's own smirk still firmly in place.

"How about the fact that he absolutely hates the taste of ale and that it makes him sick? He only drinks so much of it to keep up appearances of being young but after every feast he sneaks away to find a chamber pot or a convenient bush." Lord Issa's jaw fell open. "Naturally as someone who's feasted with Lord Raymond so many times you would know that of course."

"But… but how could you possibly…?" Lord Issa seemed to consider the implications that Star was, in fact, telling the truth. "Lord Raymond… does enjoy the flour grown in my lands?"

"He can't get enough of it." Star said reassuringly. "As I said, it's a shame we'll have to tell him and our other customers about the situation here. I'm sure there are other suppliers of course. One of them should be suitable as a replacement. As you said, you have no intention of lifting your punishment on the villagers. Marco, I believe we were about to leave, yes?" And with the smirk still plastered on her face Star turned about on her heel so that her braid did a light twirl along with her and began to briskly stride out of the room.

She didn't make it a half-dozen steps before Lord Issa's cry of "wait!" stopped her. When Star and Marco turned back to the lord they found him with one hand in a "wait there" gesture while the other began to open and shut various drawers before pulling out a clean piece of parchment. Dipping his quill in ink, Lord Issa began to furiously write out a message before quickly dropping a dollop of hot wax on the bottom of the page and pressing a seal into it. He then spread a light coat of sawdust on the ink to let it dry faster before blowing off the excess and folding the letter. Reaching out across the table to hand it to Marco he said, "Please present that to Micha when you return to the village. And… thank him for the wine."

Smiling, Star curtseyed again as a still flabbergasted Marco clumsily bowed before both left the office and were escorted by the steward back out of the manor. They stood in silence as the stable boy brought the wagon back around and remained silent until they were through the gates and well out of earshot. Leaning back contentedly, Star fished around in her pocket until she recovered the coin he'd given her and held it out to him. "Told you I'd give it back," she smirked.

"That was absolutely insane! How did you know that would work? And all of that stuff about Lord Raymond?" Marco exclaimed.

"Oh, I didn't. I just remembered what you said about the coin not being familiar and hoped he wouldn't know about it. If he did I was going to make up some lie about us trading just with Yang and hope that would've worked. And Lord Raymond is like an uncle to me. In fact, he actually had me call him Uncle Raymond all the time when I was growing up. I probably know more about him then that puffed up vassal ever could."

Okay, that all made sense but there was one other thing that was bothering Marco. "But how did you know that you'd get through to him like that?"

"Remember how you were explaining currencies to me this morning and about trust?"

"Yeah?" He wasn't sure where Star was going with this.

"Well… the nobility has their own kind of currency. Lord Issa was right, when it comes to dealing with commoners, nobles don't look at things like they're deals, they look at them as matters of honor. He felt the village wounded his honor by making a deal with him and then breaking it. So, I just had to offer him something that made it worth swallowing his pride; respect from someone even higher in the nobility. You merchants use coins, we use gossip and political favoritism. Like Glossaryck taught me, it's all a medium."

"That's… incredible actually." Marco said. "We really do live in two different worlds sometimes, huh?" He added softly as an afterthought.

Star's exuberant mood fell for a second. "Yeah… two different worlds," she muttered softly. But a moment later her smile was back in full force. "Now then, admit I'm amazing!"

Marco laughed happily. "I, Marco Diaz, merchant extraordinaire, do recognize the amazingness of Star Butterfly."

Star nodded happily. "As you should. Now, faster merchant Diaz! We have a celebration to get back to!" Marco chose not to dignify that with a response, but he did flick Bavieca's reins to pick up the pace all the same.

* * *

Nightfall was fast approaching as Star and Marco found themselves back in Micha's office. After explaining what had happened, lightly edited to keep him from knowing about Star's true identity of course, they handed him the folded letter from Lord Issa. They watched anxiously as Micha slowly read down the page. When he looked back up, there was a grin on his face and the pinpricks of tears in his eyes. "Lord Issa has invited me to come to the manor in three days to discuss preparations for the winter."

"He didn't say anything about the mill?!" Star exclaimed in fury.

Micha laughed. "No, and I wouldn't have expected him to. This is his way of letting me know he wants to talk without losing face. I'm sure we actually will talk about the winter and then he'll offhandedly mention that he's decided to lower the mill tax or something like that. Trust me young Estrella, it may not sound like it but this… this is more than I could ever have hoped for when I asked the two of you for help this morning. In a single day you have managed to lift a burden that's been placed on this village for the last year. We are all truly forever in your debt, both of you."

"It really is Estrella you should be thanking," Marco insisted. "She was the one who managed to convince Lord Issa in the end."

"I couldn't have done it without Marco though! He gave me the inspiration for my idea." Star proclaimed.

Micha cocked an eyebrow. "Are the two of you always like this?" He asked, causing both teens to blush. "As I said, this village is forever in **both** your debts, and I will see to it that you are honored as such. But enough talk about all this. I believe the festival is about to begin! We should be going. I imagine word of this will spread quickly. There'll be many down there who will want to drink with you."

"Well… it would be an insult to turn down free alcohol after all." Marco noted. "And free food!" Star chimed in.

Together the trio made their way out of Micha's office, through the meeting hall, and out into the village center. There, they joined the rest of the village lined up around the perimeter underneath the pennants that had been put up earlier that day. Pairs of villagers quickly worked their way around; one would hand over a torch while the other lit it. When Star and Marco received there's Micha explained, "Each villager will toss their torch on the bonfire," he gestured to the oil soaked, rag packed pyre of logs occupying the center of the grounds. "Tradition holds that you're supposed to make a wish when you toss it in."

"What do you wish for?" Star asked Micha who smiled but didn't reply.

Once every torch was lit Micha walked forward and spoke in a loud, clear voice. "My friends! In my life I have seen many harvest festivals. They are the beating heart of our home, our connection with the universe and our means of giving thanks for the bounty it provides. Yet never have I been as glad for this day of thanks as I am tonight. You all know the troubles we have faced this past year. And yet the universe provided as it always does. Our ancestors looked down upon us and shielded us as they have done and shall continue to do. For they sent amidst us two strangers who, through their kindness, have brought us back from the brink of oblivion!" A loud series of whoops and whistles reverberated around the crowd as Star and Marco both smiled and blushed in embarrassment. "And now," Micha continued, "We shall again give thanks to the universe, and pray for both our own happiness, and the continued happiness of our village. Let each come forth and give thanks!"

As Micha finished his pronouncement, he threw his torch onto the pyre. The oil-soaked wood caught instantly and with a great _whoosh_ the entire structure was soon alight. One by one in procession each villager stepped forward to toss their torch into the blaze. Some walked away immediately, others stood for a moment in reflection or contemplation or prayer before moving on. When it was Marco's turn, he stepped forward and copied the others, throwing his torch onto the pyre. He made to turn away right after, he wasn't one given to prayers after all. But still… what harm could it really do? Marco turned back around to face the fire and closed his eyes, feeling the sweltering heat of the blaze wash over him. As if each gust of air warmed by the inferno in front of him really was a long-gone ancestor guiding him, comforting him, protecting him. He gave up a quiet prayer and then moved back to his place along the perimeter.

As soon as Marco was back, Star took her turn to step up to the fire. Tossing her torch in she too stood before the fire. The warmth reminded her of winter nights when she was younger, curled up under a blanket with a mug of warm cider and her mom and dad beside her. There hadn't been any chaos then, no fear of being captured or losing her throne. No lonely nights missing her parents. On the other hand, the comforting life had also been one she'd chafed against, especially as she'd grown older; for the comfort also bred boredom and stagnation. Now, every day was an adventure. And today she'd had a chance, the first real chance in her entire life, to really help her people. With a smile at that warm thought, Star made her prayer and joined the rest of the gathering. Not long after, the final villager had added their torch and Micha stepped forward once again.

"And now… let the feast begin!" He declared. No sooner had the words left his mouth then a small group of villagers picked up instruments and began a lively jaunt that quickly had pairs of villagers surrounding the bonfire and dancing happily. Others began wheeling in barrels of wine and ale or bringing out platters heaped with roasted meat, vegetables, loaves of bread and deserts of all sorts. True enough to Micha's prediction, Star and Marco quickly found themselves swarmed by thankful villagers who were quick to press mugs of ale into their hands and, repeatedly, toast their health and happiness. The feasting went on for hours as the twin moons slowly rose into the sky, their light heling to illuminate the grounds and adding a mystical atmosphere to the whole event.

Marco was polishing off yet another plate of roasted lamb, heavy drinking and near-miss negotiations with nobles could work up an appetite after all and the food happened to be excellently seasoned, when Star started tugging on his sleeve.

"Let's go dancing Marco!" A bit of ale sloshing out of her mug as she waved it about excitedly, the alcohol and good cheer bringing a warm flush to her cheeks. To her disappointment however, Marco shook his head.

"I don't dance," he said simply.

"Oh c'mon, pleeasseeeeee?" She whined, unleashing her eyes for added effect. But Marco was actually able to resist this time, much to her horror.

"Sorry, I just don't dance. Not my thing."

"Well fine!" Star pouted. "I'm going dancing though!"

Smirking Marco raised his tankard in a mock salute, "Enjoy." Star stuck her tongue out at him before polishing off her tankard and racing around the trestle table they'd been sitting at and into the crowd. She quickly found herself with one of the girls from the village around her age and the pair started twirling around in time with the music, hands clasped tightly together as people around them began to clap along in delight. Once the song ended, Star was beset by others clamoring for a dance, and she soon found herself passed from dance partner to dance partner, sometimes multiple in each song! From his seat back at the table, Marco smiled at the ear-to-ear grin on Star's face. She was clearly having the time of her life. And he couldn't blame her. The atmosphere was welcoming and everything else seemed far away and inconsequential tonight of all nights.

Marco felt the light creaking in the bench as it adjusted to additional weight next to him. Glancing over, with one eye still on Star, Marco was unsurprised to see Micha had come to join him. "She's quite the remarkable young lady, isn't she?" The village headsman asked, his gaze also on Star who was now dancing with a lanky young man whose smile made it look like he'd just been given an earldom.

"You have no idea," Marco said chuckling. He became serious for a moment. "Lord Issa might have fallen for a bit of flattery, but he'll also be expecting a major sale this harvest. Are you sure you'll be able to make it work once we're gone?"

"Look around you. You've given this village hope and, more importantly, a second chance. I don't think they'll squander it, no matter how much extra work it takes. We have survived this long, and I believe we will see ourselves through this trial as well." Micha replied. "And where will your journey take you next, young Marco?"

"Ironbend," Marco said as he idly picked at one of the pastries on his plate. "And from there, further north until we reach the Musty Mountains. After that," he shrugged, "I suppose I'll make my way back south and keep on my trade route."

"Estrella won't be accompanying you?" Micha sounded surprised.

"She has… family matters to attend to. I became her guide when she asked for my help in making her way north in the first place. This has always been a journey with an end."

Micha was silent for a moment. "Let me give you some advice young Marco. You scoffed earlier when I suggested you and Estrella had… feelings, for one another. And perhaps you are right and my age has just made me wistful. But, I know, and won't hear any denials about it, that there is a strong connection between the two of you. A life traveling the world may let you see wonderous and terrifying things. But what good are those experiences without someone to share them with." Seeing Marco's pensive stare he gingerly patted him on the shoulder. "I have every confidence that when the time comes, you'll make the choice that's best for the both of you, and you'll make it together." He glanced up at the fire and grimaced. "And there goes Kanan about to try his poems again. Excuse me while I go avert yet another disaster. Enjoy the rest of your evening young Marco." The village elder quickly walked away, attempting to gain the attention of the young man in question, as Marco considered his words. They were sound advice, or they would have been if Star had just been another girl. But she wasn't, and that put an end to any thoughts about what might happen after they reached Lady Eclipsa.

Still, Micha had seemed almost too prescient. As if someone he knew what Marco had wished for when he'd tossed his torch into the fire, that this journey he was on with Star could go on for just a little while longer. It was a foolish prayer, and he knew it. But again, what harm could it do? Of course, what Marco couldn't have known is that when Star had taken her turn in front of the bonfire, she had made the exact same wish.

It was well into the late night when a very drunk pair of travelers made their way back to the inn and into their respective rooms; each half-supporting each other up the stairs. But both fell asleep that night with smiles on their faces. It had been a truly remarkable day, and tomorrow was sure to bring yet another adventure.

* * *

**A/N: And that wraps up this chapter! You know, I told myself going into this one that this chapter was going to be on the shorter side. Just a nice fluffy little side story before the plot continued. But then a few ideas popped into my head and boom, now this is the second longest chapter I've written for the fic by word count and the longest by page length. That's also why this chapter is about a week overdue, special apologies to Lordcornwalis and Vicewersa96 as I had repeatedly given each of them prospective timelines when this was coming out only for it to… well, not arrive. But, this chapter is now in the books and I'm curious about what you all thought of it!**

**Also, while I have you here I want to say that, unfortunately, there will likely be a delay in future chapters for the foreseeable future. Between a new job and this semester's classes I don't know how much free time I'll have to write. So, if you don't see this fic update for a couple months, don't worry, I have no intention of abandoning the story. I'm nearing the 100k word mark and that just seems like too much effort to put into a story only to abandon in less than halfway through. And now onto the review replies:**

**RJWritingInk: "But no matter what universe they're in, Star and Marco are almost always meant for each other." That sounds like something EVAUnit42 would've said back in the day with his "There's always a Star and a Hoodie" fic haha. But yes, Marco is a little slow on the uptake in this story, as is proper homage to the source material… frustrating as it was to watch originally. As for Star's journal… huh, interesting idea. Hadn't considered that before. And who knows what Star will do to reward Marco when this is all over? You think I know? Because…. Well I probably should know come to think of it. Let me get back to you on that. Like I said up top, about 20 chapters for this first part.**

**TheSoberPug: Well… that's not what I mean that line to come out sounding like but yeah, I can see how that might've come across in hindsight. But hey, glad you liked the chapter and hope you liked this one too!**

**Mr. Spinner: I have brought you fresh Starco antics my friend! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one. I'm glad you thought it was a good continuation of from chapter 5 because that's what I was aiming for. I wanted to help bind the two of them together a little more without 3-4 additional filler chapters and this seemed like a good way to go about it. By the way, with this chapter, did you see how I took in one of your suggestions there? Eh? Did ya? I listen… sometimes haha.**

**Viceversa96: It's here! I'm glad you and your wife enjoyed the last chapter and that you've enjoyed how I write Starco. They really are a great pair of characters to work with as a writing base and it's given me a lot of joy to weave this world around them. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!**

**Starco4everr: Thanks! Glad you're sticking with the story!**

**Lordcornwalis: I appreciate the effusive praise for the last chapter! Yes, writing about how Star manages to completely flip Marco's life on its head sometimes is one of my favorite things to do as a writer and I'm glad it appears to be shining through based on your comments. I hope this latest chapter continued to impress you on the non-magic AU front and that you're still enjoying the ride and the continued slow burn of that "tender comradare" as you eloquently put it. And I'm looking forward to the next O&FQ chapter! Can't wait for that tournament!**

**Alright, and that'll do it for me folks. I cannot thank you all enough for continuing to read this story (by the way, last chapter set a new personal view record for me so thank you!) and for following it, favoriting it, and leaving your thoughts either in the reviews or in the PMs. You make the writing more fun when I'm in the groove and bearable when I'm in a funk. Suffice to say I wouldn't be here without you. So until next time everyone, whenever that is, be well and I'll see you next chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: For thousands of years have I lain dormant, who dares to disturb my…. Oh, it's all of you. Have you… been staring at me this entire time? No? Okay thank God that would have been seriously awkward, there are some things you really didn't need to see. Anyway, if you're reading this then yes, I have finally returned after a several month hiatus! I hope you missed me because I sure as hell missed writing this story and hope that going forward, I'll be able to stick to my previous writing pace. I don't want to keep you waiting from the story by reading this author's note, but I do want to thank you all for standing by this story if you've come back to read this latest chapter. If you're new, welcome! And if you got tired of waiting for me and left... well you wouldn't be reading this anyway but I am saddened to see you go. But I promised you all a chapter and here it is. Let's begin!**

**Chapter 9: A Promise Tested and an Offer Made**

* * *

Another sunny morning has graced the land, Marco paused in his inspection of the wagon to bask in a particularly warm burst of light as a cloud lazily moved out of the way. Stretching his arms high above his head, he clasped his hands together and bent backwards slightly until a satisfying _pop_ could be heard. For once, he was taking it slowly in the morning. He'd had a lot to drink at last night's harvest festival, though thankfully the hangover hadn't been nearly as bad as in Tresting, and considering how close they were to their destination for the day, Marco simply hadn't felt in much of a rush. Refocusing himself on the task at hand, the young merchant resumed slowly circling the wagon, checking for cracks in the wood lining along the sides, making sure that the axles were secure and that the iron pegs holding the wheel together weren't showing too much rust.

"Marco c'moooonnnnnnnn! Can't we get going already?" An annoyed groan sounded from above him.

Sighing, Marco shook his head. The universe had an odd sense of balance. Normally Star wouldn't have even gotten out of bed yet, leaving Marco the unpleasant but by now familiar task of practically dragging her downstairs and getting the wagon set up so they could get moving. But today, for reasons Marco couldn't possibly imagine, Star had been the one to wake him up. She'd pounded loudly and incessantly on his door until bleary eyed and still half asleep the young Andelisian had answered, jolting awake as Star had tried to drag him downstairs for breakfast when he hadn't even put his shirt on yet.

Marco didn't know what she was do impatient about today. "Estrella," he used her alias even though no one was around, just in case there was someone he couldn't see who had a particularly good sense of hearing. "I'm just finishing checking the wagon. We're leaving soon, I promise."

Star was practically bouncing on the wagon bench. "Marco you've been checking the wagon for hours already. What could have possibly happened to it since yesterday?"

Marco made to reply that a great number of problems could have cropped up with the wagon since yesterday and that no, it hadn't been hours since he'd started checking the wagon, when Bavieca chose that moment to nicker. And, was it Marco's imagination or did it look like his horse was shaking his head in agreement? No, that was absolutely crazy. Horses shook themselves all the time, there was no way his loyal steed would possibly… Marco's remaining hopes were dashed as Star giggled and affectionately patted Bavieca's flank.

"See?" She turned to face Marco smugly. "He agrees with me."

Marco scowled indignantly. It was one thing to have Star badger him about something, that had become a regular part of their banter after all. But to have his own horse betray him! Muttering _damn traitor_ under his breath in Andalisian, Marco continued the inspection at a slightly faster pace. But because he was choosing to do so! Not because Star… or Bavieca, had told him he was moving slowly!

As he resumed his check, Marco was saved from any further embarrassing heckles as a hearty cry of "Good morning!" reached him. Looking up from where he'd been inspecting the third wagon wheel, he spotted Micha loping towards them as fast as his walking staff would allow, a bright smile on his face.

Marco stood up from his crouch and dusted his hands on his trousers, warmly grasping Micha's hand when the villager elder reached him and held it out in proffered greeting. "And a very good morning to you as well Micha." Marco replied easily.

"Morning Micha!" Star cheerfully chimed in, waving enthusiastically from the wagon bench. "Mind telling Marco here he's moving slower than an old plough horse and needs to get his butt in gear?" Marco's smile was replaced by a scowl as Star attempted to widen the circle of people criticizing him this morning while Micha just laughed, even patting Marco sympathetically on the shoulder.

"I'm sure young Marco is just being thorough miss Mariposa. After all, he's carrying some rather precious cargo." Leaning over towards Marco he added, "And I'm not just talking about the lead," he said with a whisper and a wink. Marco was now blushing at the insinuation as Star leaned over to try and hear what the village elder was saying.

Coughing to compose himself, and buy some time, Marco waved off a curious Star and then turned his attention back to Micha. "Come to see us off then?"

"Ah, yes. And with a gift from the village." Micha then hefted the sack Marco had only just noticed slung across his back and placed it in the back of the wagon on top of the crates already packed in.

"Micha, really this is unnecessary. The village has already given to us so generously. I really don't think…"

"Hush now you, I won't hear any dodging this time," Micha teasingly admonished him. "If it makes you feel any better all that's in there is some of the leftover food from last night's feast. There was more left over than the entire village could possibly consume, and it just seemed sinful to waste good food. Besides, I clearly need to thank you again. It can't be merely a coincidence that the day you two are departing we get the nicest weather we've had in a fortnight!" He gestured conspiratorially towards Star, "You sure you aren't hauling a goddess around with you lad?"

Star smirked at the insinuation and even had the audacity to lean back and toss her hair over one shoulder in an attempt to pull off a dignified, mildly bored divine look. Marco on the other hand gulped loudly, desperately trying not to clue Micha in on just how close to the truth he was.

"Last time I checked goddess were supposed to be generous and all-knowing, not mocking and impatient," Marco joked as he vaulted up into the driver's seat and ignored Star's indignant "Hey!"

Micha laughed once more before quirking an eyebrow up at the now seated Marco. "Don't you have an inspection to finish?"

"Normally yes, but I have a feeling a certain impatient goddess might bite my head off if I don't get us moving."

"That'll be the least of your worries by the time I'm done with you, you absolute bastard son of a…"

"Up bup bup, Estrella," Marco chided, "Mind your words in front of the village elder."

"Fine," Star scowled, following Marco's instructions to mind her words. She flipped him off instead.

"Classy," Marco responded dryly.

"Just following the rules," Star replied with mock sweetness.

Marco turned his attention back to Micha. "It… it really was wonderful to meet you Micha. I hope your village prospers, and that we meet again someday."

The village elder gave a small bow. "I will ensure that as long as I am elder your story will be told in this village. You have done so much for us, and we will forever be in your debt. You will always be welcome here. May the road carry you swiftly and safely to your destination."

Both Star and Marco sat there for a moment, overawed by the man's declaration. Coming back to his senses, Marco then lightly flicked the reins and with a small whinny, Bavieca began trotting out of the village, wagon and passengers in tow. It didn't take them long to exit the warren of houses and alleyways that made up the village and break onto the main road, guarded on both sides by fields of rapidly ripening wheat. The very wheat that Star and Marco had helped save, the blood that would keep the village alive for another year.

As they zipped along, farmers in the field perked up at the telltale sound of wooden wheels traveling on the hardpacked dirt road. First came the pointing, alerting others working to who was passing by. And then it hit the pair of travelers, the cheering. Farmers waving pitchforks, hoes, scythes, and head scarfs as they called out to Star and Marco. Their cries of thanks carrying across the wind. Not knowing what else to do, the pair shyly waved back. Again, humbled by the sheer amount of kindness one village could possibly possess.

In the middle of it all, Marco felt a light tug on his sleeve. Turning, he saw Star with misty eyes but a warm smile on her face. "We really did it, huh? We really helped all those people."

What it must have meant for her in that moment, Marco couldn't even begin to imagine. She had been the princess of this kingdom from the moment she was born. But not amount of grooming for the throne could have prepared her, prepared anyone to have their mother die, be made ruler, and be whisked off into hiding all in one night. Not to mention having to travel in secret because she was being hunted. She could have easily declared herself to be Star Butterfly in front of Lord Issa, wiped off the makeup disguising her cheek marks, and forced him to make peace with the village. But that would have been too great a risk. But, rather than give into despair, she'd found a way to save everyone. Marco would have given everything he owned in this world to keep that smile on her face in that moment, knowing what it meant.

He settled for throwing an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a half-hug, warm tingling crawling up his spine as she nestled her head into his shoulder. "Yeah, we really did," he said. Not the most profound thing he'd ever said, but the way Star nuzzled against him before letting out a contented sigh let Marco know that it had been enough. Joyful in one another's company, the two let their minds wander aimlessly, soaking in the landscape as the wagon carried them forward out of the carefully cultivated fields and into wild meadow stretching to the forest beyond. The village rapidly receded from view, but neither would forget their memories of the place.

* * *

"YOU DID NOT!"

"I absolutely did."

"Marco that's horrible!" Star's ringing laughter echoed through the forest, startling a number of birds in the upper canopy who took off into the sky, briefly disturbing the dappled sunlight that filtered down onto the traveling pair. The princess paused to catch her breath, wiping a tear away from her eye with the back of her hand.

"You can't possibly tell me you put a dead fish next in your mentor's bed!"

Marco nodded, completely serious. "I really did. Tucked it in the blanket with him and put it right up by his face."

"And what happened when he woke up?"

"He came marching up to me. He looked absolutely furious. Meanwhile I was trying my best not to laugh because he brought the damn fish with him." Marco started chuckling at the memory even as he continued the story. "So he's, hahaha, he's standing there…. with the stern expression, trying not to lose control of the fish and let it flop around, hehehee, and the more I'm trying not to laugh the harder it gets and he can see that so of course he's getting even angrier."

Star was practically bent over Marco's waist, leaning in to his words like it would bring the tale to life. "What happened then?" She said enraptured by the tale of this cautious merchant actually doing something exciting for once.

"He says to me," Marco adopted the best gruff voice he could, "_Boy, what the fucking hell is this? Is this your idea of a joke?"_

"Then I said, no master, it's not a joke at all. It's a present."

"_A present? What kind of fucking present is this?"_

"Well, you said you always wanted to bed a mermaid. This was the best I could come up with on such short notice." Marco finished with a flourish and then threw a cheeky smile at Star who was staring at him, mouth hanging open slightly.

"And then what happened?" She asked, anticipation flashing in her eyes as she waited for the story's conclusion."

"He tried to hit me with the fish."

"He what?!"

"Yeah, tried to give me a good beating over the head with it. Guess he was so angry though he forgot how slippery the thing was. So it flew right out of his hand and went flying out the window. Then he went to grab me but I was too fast for him. I don't think I've ever run faster in my life than when I took off out of that inn."

"Not even when that drunk was threatening to shove his knife up your ass?" Star teased him with a lopsided grin.

"Thank you for reminding me of that particular bit of trauma," Marco retorted dryly.

"Any time bestie!"

Marco shook his head in mock annoyance. "Now where was I? Right, so I go sprinting out of the inn, the whole building felt like it was shaking as my master came thundering down the steps." Marco stamped his feet in the wagon bed for emphasis, getting more into the story seeing Star so engrossed in the tale. "I just barely managed to make it out the door. I actually felt his fingers hook into the back of my collar for a moment but I got away and ended up scampering high into a tree."

"Ohhhhh, I didn't know you could climb!" Star said excitedly.

Marco rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Honestly, neither did I until that moment. There weren't any trees nearby my home for me to practice and I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of the other kids in Echo Creek by trying and failing. I guess I just wasn't thinking about it and just went for it."

"See what happens when you don't think so much and just got for it?" Star asked while nudging him gently in the side with her elbow.

"Yeah, I end up getting stuck up in a tree while my master wakes up an entire inn worth of people screaming at me that he's going to make me wish I'd never been born."

"He didn't try and climb up after you?"

"I don't think he could climb trees either." The pair shared a chuckle. "Eventually, he got tired of shouting and started walking back into the inn. I thought I'd made it out alive but then he turned around to me and said, _You'll have to come down sometime boy. No water or chamber pot up there. And I'll be right here waiting for when you do come down._ I realized he was right, I'd basically trapped myself up there. Even if I climbed down when he wasn't around, it's not like I could just run away. Where else was I supposed to go?"

Star nodded in understanding. She'd been in similar situations before. All good pranks had to come to an end after all. "So, how long did you manage to stay up there?"

"Bout a day and a half."

Star gave a low whistle of appreciation. "Now that's some dedication right there. Or overwhelming fear."

"It was mostly the fear," Marco chuckled. "But I also had some help. One of the serving girls at the inn, her name was Sabrina, was around my age and kept sneaking food and water out of the kitchens for me. As for the lack of a chamber pot… I'll, uh, spare you the details of how I managed to figure that one out."

"How very kind of you." Star shuddered at the mere thought of the thought. She then got a coy smile on her face. "Sounds like this Sabrina had a little crush on you."

"Oh c'mon she was just being nice."

"Hmmmmm… maybe, but girls don't usually sneak away from their jobs to bring food and water to strange boys hiding in trees just because they're nice people."

Marco scoffed at that. "We were both 12 at the time, maybe. I still thought girls were these annoying, strange creatures. Somehow, I doubt that would have made her interested."

Star had a sultry look as she proceeded to lean over into Marco, her long hair forming a curtain that mostly obscured the road, forcing him to pull Bavieca to a halt. He turned to tell her to sit back down but was stopped by the smoldering, hungry look in her eyes. It left him transfixed, his reproach dying in his throat. Giggling, Star slipped closer still, until her head was parallel with his throat, lips close to his ear. "And what exactly do you think of girls now, hmmmm Marco?" She asked him with a purr.

Marco's brain was on sensory overload. The feel of her gentle breath against his neck, the wafting scent of her hair, still crisp from her bath this morning, tickling his nose, and the firm grip her right hand had on his shoulder as she used him to remain balanced while standing upright on the driver's bench. "I, uh, well… I mean they're not exactly, no what I mean is…" He stuttered his way to incoherence. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, or what still remained functioning of it, the voice of his master was screaming at him to get a hold of himself.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was over. Star quickly slipped back over him, withdrawing back to her seat on the wagon, not a hair out of place as if nothing had just happened. She kept a stoic mask on as she watched Marco gape at her like a fish on dry land until she couldn't take it anymore and started howling with laughter, holding her sides as tears streamed freely down her cheeks.

"Oh gods Marco! Your face! Oh was that priceless!"

Seeing himself made a fool of seemed to snap Marco back to reality. "It wasn't that funny!" He said, trying to retain some remanent of his now thoroughly shattered pride.

"I swear you make it too easy sometimes," Star said once she'd finished laughing. Marco just looked away pouting. "So how did the story end anyways?"

"Hmph, and why should I reward you with the rest of the story?"

Star decided to take pity on the poor guy. It wasn't his fault he was completely outmatched after all. "Okay, okay I admit that maybe that was a little harsh. How about I make it up to you? If you finish your story I'll tell you about a time I got in trouble too. Sound fair?"

Star knew she had him when he cast a considering eye in her direction. As if he could possibly pass up an opportunity to hear about a time she'd been punished. Finally nodding in agreement Marco declared, "And I want the last honey roll in the sack Micha gave us."

"But Marco those are my favorite," Star whined.

"I'm a merchant," he shrugged indifferently, "I always bargain for a high price for what I'm selling. You can have the last roll if you really want it. But no story for you."

"And no story for you," Star retorted.

"Huh, I hadn't thought about that." Marco considered his options for a moment. "You tell your story and we split the roll?" He countered.

Flashing him a delighted smile Star promptly held out her hand. "You drive a hard bargain Marco."

He took her hand and gave it a firm pump. "I can think of no higher compliment."

"So, how did it all turn out?" Star asked eagerly.

"Honestly, there's not much left to tell. It all ended when my master called my bluff. We were only supposed to spend two days in the area before moving on and, well, I woke up on the morning we were supposed to leave and sure enough I saw him outside the inn packing up the wagon. I didn't have any other choice, Sabrina or not I couldn't just live in that tree forever. So I climbed down and waited for him at the base. In hindsight, that was probably my biggest mistake."

"How so?"

"Well, my master came over to the tree, he seemed like such a giant, especially when I first started traveling with him, and then he patted me on the head as if everything was forgiven."

Star frowned, "From everything you've told me about him, that doesn't sound like something he'd do."

Marco nodded, face grim, "It wasn't. And that would have set off alarm bells in my head if I hadn't felt so relieved in that moment. I really thought I'd gotten away with it. That's when I heard the snapping sound. He'd broken off one of the smaller branches from the tree while I was distracted."

Star could tell where this was going. "How bad was it?"

Marco shuddered at the memory. "Bad. He beat me with it until the thing broke, and even after that he gave me a few more good ones with the jagged half. I couldn't sit down for two days afterwards without it hurting."

Star winced in sympathy. She'd seen more than one squire flogged in a similar fashion. Of course as a princess no one would even think of giving her such a punishment, but that didn't stop her from picturing how much it probably hurt anyways. "Was he expecting to teach you some kind of lesson with that?" Star asked.

"I think the lesson was, don't fucking put dead fish in my bed as a prank," Marco commented dryly. "If there was another lesson besides that I'll admit it was probably lost on me. Let's leave it at I learned never to pull another prank on him again."

"Yeah that's a fair point," Star conceded.

"Alright, I held up my end of the bargain. You're up Star."

"Honey roll first," Star insisted.

"Oh alright, fine," Marco begrudgingly agreed. Gesturing for Star to take the reins he turned around and reached for the plain sack piled in the back of the wagon. Opening the drawstring keeping the remaining food inside Marco rummaged around until he found what he was looking for. Pulling out the treat in question Marco could almost swear he saw sparkles in Star's eyes as she beheld the tasty treat. _She really does have a weakness for sweets_, Marco noted to himself, catching Star's eyes glued intently on the treat as he carefully tore the roll in half. He had no doubt he would get an earful if Star thought her half was even a little smaller than his own. The delicate procedure being completed he handed Star her half and took her appreciative nod as a sign he'd done an appropriate job. The look of bliss on her face when she took the first bite was near comical. It wasn't quite the wonderous joy of discovering something for the first time. More like the ecstasy of having something pleasurable before and suddenly reaching that same level again. Marco might have laughed at it, but as he took his own bite and felt the flavor explode across his tongue he had to admit the roll really was something. If everything made from their flour was this good then maybe they hadn't lied to Lord Issa after all and Lord Horseford really did prefer the village's flour.

Taking another bite of his own half, Marco looked over to see Star's half was already gone and she was licking the excess honey off her fingers before eying Marco with a hungry look, the combination of which sent a cacophony of thoughts through his head that were absolutely **not** how he should be thinking about Star. Mercifully, any such delusions were dispelled when he realized that the hungry look in Star's eyes wasn't directed at him, but rather at the remaining pastry in his hands. Thinking fast, and in a flash of inspirational revenge, Marco promptly stuffed the rest of his share in his mouth. The combination of his puffed out cheeks full of pastry and the sudden look of shocked betrayal on Star's face set him into hysterics that almost had him choking to death. "Star! *cough, cough* You…. hahaha, you should see your face right now! *cough, cough* bahahahaa!"

Recognizing the line, Star scowled at him. "That's very mature of you Marco. You really are such a gentleman."

Marco shrugged unapologetically. "Just leveling the playing field is all. In any case, I believe you owe me a story. So, whenever you're ready, _princess_," Marco added the title sarcastically.

"Hmph. Not sure you deserve a story after that." Star gave a dramatic sigh. "But, a deal was struck and I wouldn't dare besmirch the honor of the Butterfly family by breaking a sacred contract."

"Sacred, huh?"

"Of course. All contracts made where food is involved are sacred after all. Really Marco, you should know better."

Chuckling, Marco asked, "And why is that? Are you training me to be your royal advisor or something?" The implication of what he'd just said hit him the moment he was the expression on Star's face. Both traveling companions were pulled out of their carefree afternoon and remembered where they were headed, why they were headed there, and what lay for them at the end of their journey.

Seeking to break the tension, and return them to their happy fantasy for just a little while longer, Marco said, "So, uh, that story you wanted to tell me? About a time you got in trouble?"

Star smiled at Marco's unsubtle redirection. "Right, so one winter… maybe seven or eight years ago, a troop of entertainers came to the castle for the solstice feast. The uh, the war with the Kitari hadn't ended that long ago and we were… mom and I, we still hadn't gotten over losing my dad, so these were the first entertainers that had been in the castle since the war ended."

Star paused for a moment, the memories washing over her. Marco reached out and gently grasped her shoulder. "Star, if you don't want to talk about this then you don't have to. You know that, right?"

Star smiled at the kindness and concern in his words. She gently squeezed the hand laying on her shoulder. "It's fine Marco, really. I promise this is a good story. It just… brings some memories back is all." Marco nodded and slowly let go. Star clapped her hands together. "Right, so the first group of entertainers in the castle in a while, and so expectations were suppppeer high. People at court really wanted to be entertained. And these guys were great. They hung ropes from the rafters and were doing these crazy acrobatics, there was this massive fire show. Oh! And these three guys balanced on top of each other while the top guy held a poll sort of across his arms and another guy was balancing on that, while juggling… swords! The guy was juggling swords Marco!"

"That does sound pretty impressive," Marco agreed, happy to see her so enthusiastic. "Still not sure how this ends with you getting in trouble though."

"I'm getting to that part, yeesh!" She snapped at him. "Anyway, one of the last performers was this woman who claimed to be a power magician. She said the universe had granted her special gifts, magical gifts. She called herself _The Good Witch Azura_, and she could do these crazy things! She made balls of light appear out of nowhere, she could levitate objects that were halfway across the room, everything! But part of her act, and this is where I come in, is she said she could send messages out into the universe. Then she had someone bring her some parchment and took out this quill and ink and started writing things like _Long live Queen Moon_ or _This is a great feast_, and the ink **vanished**. Disappeared right off the page!"

"How… how did she do that?" Marco asked.

"Magic." Star winked at him. "And, being the royal princess that I was, and as an aspiring adventurer myself, I knew I had to have her teach me. So the next morning I snuck down to the castle where they were staying and started pounding on her door like crazy."

"I'm familiar," Marco commented dryly. "Can't imagine the made for a very good first impression."

Star shrugged. "Maybe not, but I wasn't thinking about anything like that, I just really wanted to learn. And besides, what good witch wouldn't want to teach the royal princess magic?"

"So what did she teach you?"

Star pouted. "Nothing. She said her magic came from a far away land as a gift from the universe and it wasn't something that could be taught. But, she did give me a present. The ink that went away after you wrote it down. She said I could use it to send messages out to the universe and then gave me, I don't remember exactly but I think either six or seven wells full of the stuff. I wasn't sure how much writing she expected me to do but I wasn't about to say no. At first, it was just fun writing messages and watching them vanish. I sent some of them to my Grandma Comet because I thought it would make my mother happy. I sent most of them to my dad because I really missed him. But eventually that got boring. And yes, this is where the trouble starts to come in."

"I was hoping we'd get there eventually," Marco chuckled.

"It's all about the journey Marco. So one day I came up with brilliant idea that while it was fun to watch my own messages disappear, it would be a lot funnier if people's letters or messages started vanishing… mysteriously."

"And how exactly did you pull that off?"

"By being very sneaky. It was easier than I thought it'd be at first. I would sneak into a room, or just ask whoever was in the room if they could get me something quickly, and then replace their ink with the kind that made the messages vanish. Professor Glossaryck was the easiest. He was always misplacing things anyway so 'finding' his ink wells for him was something I was more than happy to do. Then there was all the clerical work Manfred had to redo because it disappeared in front of him, a bunch of the cooks who were taking inventory. You get the idea. I would let them go crazy for a little while and then when they weren't around or weren't looking, I would switch the ink back so it looked like the problem was solved."

"And you weren't worried about the universe being sent your lesson plan or a recipe for stew or something like that?" Marco chuckled.

"I was hoping the universe would have a sense of humor. It didn't take me long to have most of the castle convinced that either there was a ghost haunting the place or that Azura had somehow cursed us all. It was hilarious. I even got one of the clerks to join a monastery. He was convinced somehow this was all happening because of something he did and needed to repent! After a couple of months, I started challenging myself. I wanted to tackle something really hard. I decided to prank my mother."

"Star… I already know this story ends with you getting in trouble but even if I hadn't known that I could've told you that is, without a doubt, one of the worst ideas I've ever heard."

The young princess grimaced slightly. "Yeah, well, I wish you'd been around to talk me out of it back then. Part of me just wanted to have more fun. And part of me wanted my mom to notice me a little more. I think I was actually hoping, just a little, that I'd get caught. She'd gotten so distant after my dad died. Of course, now she was running a kingdom all by herself, trying to rebuild the country after the war, keep Toffee and the Lucitors in check, and I think even back then she was starting to get sick. But I was ten, didn't know any of that, and really wanted to make this prank work."

Marco had been listening to the story the whole time of course but now his attention was as focused as Star's had been in wanting to hear the end of his story. "So, how did you sneak into Queen Moon… I mean your mother's office?"

"I didn't have to sneak in. That was the easy part," Star said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It's not like anyone other than my mother could tell me to stay out of a place. One little lie to the guards outside her study that I needed to get something for one of my lessons and I was in. Switching the ink out was easy too. Same color ink well, same shape. I was starting to think my dad's spirit was involved and wanted me to do this. That is, right up until my mom summoned me about a day later to explain myself."

"It only took her a day to figure out it was you?"

"I mean, she doesn't deserve a ton of credit for that. No one else in the castle would even think of risking their position to pull a stupid prank on the Queen of Mewni. And for all I know Manfred spent all day in some hidden room or something watching things and could have told her. It doesn't really matter. The point is that I was summoned to her study where she held up a blank sheet of paper and asked me if I knew what it was. Of course, I said it was a blank sheet of paper. She told me I was wrong and that it was actually a detailed report on reconstruction efforts in the border regions. Then she said something like, _How very curious that it seems to have vanished on me. Perhaps it's this ghost or curse that half my staff seems to think is haunting the castle. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Star_? I knew that she knew everything at that point but I still tried to pretend I didn't. Then she said that maybe the ghost liked me better or that the curse had spared me so I might have better luck rewriting the 20-page report."

Marco rubbed his chin. "So you either had to confess that you knew the ink would disappear or would have to write the whole report over again?"

"Exactly. And I bet you can guess which one I did."

"Out of pride or fear?"

"A bit of both. So I sat there and copied the entire report in the vanishing ink and, sure enough, it vanished. So I had to do it again. And again. And again. And again. Finally, the ink well went dry, somewhere around midnight and about an hour after I contemplated confessing and then having my wrist chopped off. I almost started crying by the fourth time. Then I had to write it one more time in new ink, which didn't disappear. Only after that did my mom tell me than on top of that hell I'd just gone through I would be bared from attending the jousting tournament that week and would instead be getting extra etiquette lessons from Glossaryck.

"That doesn't sound nearly as bad as getting beaten with a tree branch," Marco commented.

"That's only because you've never had to sit through a lecture of royal etiquette." Star shuddered just thinking about it. "Believe me, if I could've switched our punishments, I would've."

"So… I'm guessing those lessons didn't really sink in, did they?" Marco asked with a cheeky grin.

Star returned the smile with one of her own. "By that point I was already starting to get a reputation as a rebellious princess and I wanted to maintain it. It's the same reputation that made people think I'd need a regent, and the one that drew a bunch of asshole suitors when I got older who thought that being rebellious meant I'd give them whatever they wanted. And they all wanted the same fucking thing," Star grumbled with her arms crossed.

"I bet you made them regret that huh?"

"One could hardly blame a fair princess like myself from defending her honor. If the knight's guarding me ended up occasionally breaking a nose or two, that seemed like a worthy sacrifice to make to preserve the dignity of the royal family."

Marco chuckled nervously, "and did uh… were you ever the one to break one of those bones?"

"Hmmmm… no. But I did dump a goblet full of really old and expensive wine over that stuck up bastard Tom Lucitor's head."

Marco nearly choked. "Tom Lucitor? As in Thomas Lucitor, only son of Lord David Lucitor and heir to the Lucitor line and Helvete?"

"Yeah, that's him. I had a lot of jackasses who thought a couple of corny lines would make them the next King of Mewni or who were just interested in… other things. But he was by far the worst. He kept calling me 'Starship' and basically acted like we were already married. And the way he treated the servants. Most nobles just ignore the servants, like they were a piece of furniture. But Tom seemed to go out of his way to belittle them and make veiled threats. I think it actually gave the prick some twisted sense of pleasure."

"And so you ended up dumping a goblet of wine on his head?"

"From the bottle that he personally brought and said was over two centuries old."

Marco looked over at Star. "So I know we've been talking about funny stories where we ended up getting in trouble but I need to hear how that happened, right now."

Star laughed. "Don't worry. This is absolutely a funny story where I ended up getting in trouble. It started when Lord David suggested that Tom and I would make a good match. My mother didn't want to consider it but needed to keep the Lucitors on her side. So one night, Tom and I were arranged to have a private dinner in the castle…."

* * *

"So I'm guessing there was no second dinner then?" Marco asked as Star finished her tale.

"Of course not! If I ever have to see that pompous asshole again it'll be too soon," Star shook her head in disgust. She'd spent the better part of the last half an hour or so regaling Marco of her first and only courting event with the Lucitor heir as they'd continued further into the forest. The canopy had grown thicker the further they'd moved along. The older, more densely packed trees obscuring almost all light even at midday. What light did manage to filter down to the ground cast swirling, poorly formed shadows around the traveling pair. Star and Marco instinctively moved closer to one another on the wagon bench, and even Bavieca seemed more on edge.

Seeking a distraction from the tingling feeling on the back of her neck that she was being watched Star asked, "So Marco, what's Ironbend like anyway?"

The small look of relief on Marco's face suggested he was feeling disturbed too. "It's unlike any other city in the kingdom. The settlement was founded by a few miners and smiths who opened an iron mine and built a foundry. Supposedly their steel work was renowned throughout the kingdom and beyond. Soon enough, other smiths started making their way to the town. Some came to learn from these alleged masters, some to challenge their skill, and others hoped that if they could be associated with the town then their own reputations would grow. When these copycats started threatening the town's reputation, a group of masters came forward to create a series of trials."

"Trials?" Star asked in confusion.

"Tests of skill," Marco clarified. "To prove that one could really be a master smith or craftsman. Anyone who completed them was given a special symbol to mark their wares so that everyone would know they were real. It's a rather… exclusive, group. These days alongside the masters there are metalworkers of every skill hoping to earn their own mark, or just make a life for themselves. And then of course you have all the people who live in the town to provide for the smiths and the people who come to buy their wares. Inns, bars, bakers, you get the idea."

Star pictured an entire city made out of metal, buildings stretching towards the sky looking like axes or necklaces. "That sounds incredible."

"It's definitely worth seeing. I don't think there's another place on the continent like it. And, of course, any place like that has a high demand for metal, which makes this the perfect place to…. Ah shit." With a sigh, Marco pulled on the reins and brought the wagon to a halt. Laying across the road was a massive section of tree. It looked like the middle of the trunk had snapped in half and the top of the once mighty giant, tangled mass of branches and all, had fallen clear across the road, blocking their path.

Shoulders slumped resignedly, Marco hopped out off the wagon bench and began walking over towards the mess. "I'm going to see if I can get this moved out of the way," he called to Star over his shoulder.

Not wanting to leave Marco stuck with all the work, she made to climb off the wagon too. "I'll come and help out, it'll be faster with two people." To her surprise though, Marco waved her off.

"No! That's alright, I've got this. Doesn't look that heavy!" He took off his jacket and vest and laid them on a nearby rock.

Star wasn't buying the strong man routine though. "Doesn't look that heavy?! Marco for corn's sake you're trying to move half a damn tree." Seeing him try and grip one of the larger branches and begin to tug the wooden obstacle out of the way she tried a different tactic. "You know Marco, the whole showing off to impress the beautiful girl act is really unnecessary! Remember last week when you told me you could definitely catch us some fish for dinner when we made camp along that creek bed? Remind me who ended up catching the fish after you told me not to get involved. Me or you? I forgot."

Marco's ears burned with embarrassment. "That was a fluke and you know it!" Star's disbelieving look showed he hadn't convinced her. "Look, let me give this a try and if I can't do it, you can come and help all you want, alright?"

Star huffed in annoyance. "Oh fine Diaz, have it your way."

Nodding, Marco rolled up his sleeves and prepared to try and pull on the tree. "Alright Diaz, gotta look manly here. It's just a hunk of wood and Star's watching. This is your chance to make up for the fishing incident, and that time you couldn't make a fire, and the time you managed to get yourself knocked unconscious and nearly drowned. And that time you… you know what? I'm just gonna stop talking to myself," he muttered under his breath. "Okay… one, two, three, pull!" Putting all his weight into it he started yanking on one of the branches and to his surprise felt the tree start to give… about an inch. Then with a sharp **snap** the branch he'd been pulling on broke off and sent him sprawling into the dirt. Ignoring Star's laughter at his expense, he grabbed another branch and set himself up again. "Okay, on three. One… two…"

While Marco was trying, and failing, to get the tree out of their way, Star was looking at the forest around them, trying to peer into its shadow-hidden depths. She didn't know why, but she really couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. The way Bavieca was nervously prodding at the ground with his front hoof was also worrying. Then again, he could have simply been eager to get moving again as she and Marco were. Trying something different, Star closed her eyes and strained her ears, hoping to pick up the sound of anything making its way through the trees. Her dad had taught her the technique when she was a little girl in case she was ever separated from her guards. To her annoyance though, she couldn't pick up on anything. Marco's grunts and occasional swears seemed loud enough to drown out all other noise. She couldn't even hear the bird songs that would normally make up the background noise of any forest. Wait, that didn't seem right….

With a gasp, Star's eyes snapped open, adrenaline suddenly flushing through her. Another lesson her father had taught her; animals had a far greater ability to sense danger than people did. If she was alone in the forest and everything around her had gone quiet, that was a pretty good sign that there was something nearby that she didn't want to mess with was nearby. She began frantically waving at Marco in an attempt to get his attention without alerting whatever was out there. Unfortunately, Marco appeared too engrossed in his task of moving the tree inch by inch to notice her. "Marco!" She whisper-shouted in the hopes of getting his attention. "Marcoooooo!" She tried again, just a little louder. Still nothing.

Growing more desperate, she stood up on the wagon bench and leaned forward, "Marco"…. The shout died in her throat as she felt the wind rushing past her followed by the dull **thud** sound of something hitting the tree to her right. Daring to look over, she recognized the sleek arrow that was now firmly embedded there. Star's eyes flickered over to Marco who had looked up at the sound of the arrow making contact with the trunk. Blue met brown, eyes locked together as Star's feeling of alarm was wordlessly conveyed. "MARCO WATCH….!" Was all Star had time to say before men burst through the trees on both sides of the road and rushed both of them screaming with weapons drawn.

* * *

Marco had been focused on getting the tree out of the road. He finally felt like he was making some progress, seeing a small trench in the dirt emerge as he dragged the obstructing piece of wood inch by inch out of the path of the wagon. He was completely engrossed in the task, pulling as hard as he could before taking a brief break, repeating a mantra _pull and rest, pull and rest_. The absolute silence of the forest made his thoughts feel louder somehow. Just as he was thinking about how oddly quiet it was for a forest at midday, he heard a _whoosh_ sound. Turning unconsciously towards the distracting noise his eyes widened to try and take in the impossible scene before him. He saw Star standing on the wagon bed, eyes wide with fear. He saw the arrow shaft embedded in the tree, having just barely missed taking her through the neck. His eyes locked with hers and he heard her shout "MARCO WATCH" before an explosion of noise to his left and right drowned out anything else.

There were four men running towards him, all dressed in mismatched combinations of dinged and slightly rusty steel with what looked like padded leather making up the rest of their gear. At best glance, their weapons looked to be of similar, mediocre, quality. Seeing Marco unarmed, the fastest of the bunch, a thin man holding a one-handed axe, came sprinting at Marco, arm already raised high for an overhand chop aimed at his head. Thinking quickly, Marco waited to draw his sword, hidden just off to his side, as the man closed in. Two dozen paces, then a dozen, then five. With a roar the man brought the axe down and an inner voice in Marco screamed _NOW_! In a single move he sidestepped the clumsy swing, drew his own sword and brought his own blade across the man's chest. The fine steel blade biting deeply into the frayed leather there before slicing into the man's flesh underneath, a bright crimson trail of blood flying out in its wake. With a strangled cry of pain, the man dropped to the ground. Before Marco had a chance to think about the fact that he'd just killed someone, a second assailant came at him from the other side, this one also holding a sword and wearing slightly better armor that included arm and shin greaves.

Seizing the initiative, Marco dashed forward. He swung hard at the man's midsection, arresting his charge and forcing him to come up with a quick block to avoid having his stomach sliced open. Stepping to the side, Marco swung in a low feint aimed at the man's legs before pulling up at the last second, turning the slash into a stab at the man's side. The bandit saw it coming however and with a snarl shoved Marco's blade aside with his own before countering with a rapid series of swings. The two exchanged blows for another few seconds as the other two bandits closed in. _Have to finish this fast or I'm going to be cornered_, Marco thought. Blocking one particularly vicious swing that made his arms ring like a bell, Marco went for the unorthodox and threw a left hook towards his opponent's head. The man instinctively brought his own arm up to block the punch, only realizing at the last second that it had left him vulnerable. With a cry of pain, the man leapt back, clutching the thin gash running vertically up his chest. Marco cursed under his breath. The man had been just fast enough to block most of the blow, and only the point of Marco's sword had gotten through. Still, it was enough to take him out of the fight, at least for the time being. Panting heavily and with the sound of his heart pounding in his ears, Marco turned to face his last two assailants with dismay. It appeared he hadn't finished the second fight in time. Both men had arrived in front of him, calm and collected compared to his labored breathing. To make matters worse, both men carried long spears and looked like they knew how to use them. Raising his sword to a guard position, Marco readied himself. _This isn't going to be easy,_ he thought grimly.

* * *

As the bandits surged forward from the trees, Star's first thought was that she had absolutely nothing to defend herself with. She didn't know if Marco kept any other weapons besides his sword stashed somewhere on the wagon but if he did, he hadn't told her and she didn't exactly have time to check. She was still standing on the wagon bed out in the open and she doubted whatever archer had just barely missed the first time would miss again. Running across the drivers' bench she jumped off the opposite side and tried to use the wagon for cover, only to instantly be met by one of the bandits. He was a short and scrawny thing; Star would have been shocked if he was older than 13. His armor was ill fitting, he was actually holding his half-helm on his head with one hand to keep it from dropping onto his eyes, and to Star, who had grown up her whole life around highly trained knights and guards, it looked like the boy had barely held the sword grasped in his right hand before today. The most noticeable thing about him though were his eyes. Standing there, unarmed and under attack, Star should have been the scared one, but she could see a deep well of fear in the young boy's eyes, and a deep desire not to attack her. Maintaining eye contact with him, Star raised her hands slightly in a calming, conciliatory gesture. If she could just get him to run away, it wouldn't solve all her problems but it would be a start.

Her concentration was broken as she heard a shout of pain that quickly went silent. Her heart felt instant relief as she realized the scream didn't belong to Marco. Unfortunately, it did seem to harden the resolve of her opponent. Eyes still uncertain but grim, he began running at her, blade aloft. Still weaponless, Star began backpedaling, left hand skimming along the top of the wagon, looking for anything even remotely capable of defending herself. The second her fingers closed around something that felt like it had sufficient weight she pulled it off the wagon and held it front of her… only to realize it was the sack Micha had given them back in the village. Star had no idea what was still in there but it was heavy enough that it would have to do.

The young bandit took a clumsy, overhand swing at her. Star nimbly skipped back and out of the way, leaving plenty of distance between the two of them. The inexperienced kid tried again to no avail. When he tried a third time his helmet actually fell down over his eyes and Star almost felt sorry for him… almost. Not one to waste an opportunity, she hefted the bag in both hands and with a half spin swung it as hard as she could. Her aim proved true and there was a resounding **clang** along with the sound of breaking glass as whatever was inside the sack made contact with the helmet hard enough to lift it back above the young boy's eyes. Star saw his disoriented and perplexed expression before he went cross-eyed and crumpled to the ground. It was almost comical. "And here I thought life and death situations were supposed to be more frightening than this," Star muttered to herself as she moved to pick up the kid's sword. The grip didn't fit her hand that well, but it was a whole lot better than nothing.

Hearing the sounds of what could only be Marco fighting yet more of the bandits and Bavieca whinnying in fear, Star raced forward, only to stop herself just short of where the modicum of protection offered by the wagon ended. Daring to peek around the corner, she was forced to jerk her face back as another arrow just barely missed hitting her. "Alright, not that way then," she muttered to herself in frustration. She spun around hoping to find another way to get to Marco only to be confronted by another two bandits, both far more confident looking than the kid she'd just brained with a lunch bag. Each hefted their weapon and had a murderous, hungry look in their eye. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to just walk away, would you?" She asked the two goons. The pair just snickered at each other and began advancing on her. Raising her sword in what she thought was a good imitation of the blocking position she'd seen some of the knights take up when sparing in the Butterfly Castle courtyard she began to slowly back away. "I didn't think so but hey, worth a try, right?"

* * *

Marco was losing this fight and he knew it. He gave himself credit for holding out this long. Basic self-defense lessons or not he was a merchant, not a fighter, but he'd still managed to put two of the bandits out of the fight and was keeping the other two at bay, though only barely. They were taking their time with him, slowly, almost lazily jabbing at him, probing his defenses. They were also coming at him from two different angles, keeping him in a tight circle while slowly backing him up towards the tree line. They had definitely worked together before. One of the bandits made a quick lunge at Marco, forcing him to step to the right as he deflected the blow with his sword. A flash out of the corner of his eye made Marco realize his mistake as his step pushed him directly into the path of the other bandit who was now trying to take advantage of the opening. Twisting back and out of the way, Marco brought his sword up to block this blow as well. With a twisting, screeching sound the metal top of the spear skirted along the flat of Marco's sword. Acting on instinct, Marco tried to push the spear up and away from him, but as he did so the bandit pulled back on his weapon, allowing the side of the spear to slip past his guard. With a hiss of pain, Marco lost focus and grasped his upper forearm. Pulling back, he saw the palm of his hand had a thin, sticky coat of blood on it. Looking at his injured arm, he could see the wound was long but shallow, and the bleeding didn't appear too severe. Still gripping the sword now sent sharp waves of pain up his arm and he reluctantly switched from a two-handed grip to a one-handed one. Bleeding and with an even weaker defense, Marco was running short on options. Seeking to press their advantage, both bandits moved in at once hoping to overwhelm him. Blocking one swing at his injured right side by pushing it into the path of an incoming sweep from the left, Marco attempted to circle around the bandits, hoping to keep one of them between himself and the other, but it wasn't working. Another blow to the left had the muscles in his arm screaming with the strain and he nearly lost his grip on his sword. The second bandit came back in, hoping to land another hit on Marco while he was distracted, this time aiming to impale his knee. Moving faster than he thought he was still capable of doing, Marco hopped over the incoming thrust and managed to pin the head of the spear in the dirt with his foot. A sharp twist of his leg snapped the metal head of the spear off, leaving the bandit holding a long wooden staff. Marco's moment of triumph was short lived however as the bandit simply pulled up on the headless spear, knocking Marco off balance. Moving in closer, the bandit then swung the haft of his spear in a vicious uppercut that caught Marco in a glancing blow on his chin. Pain exploded across his lower jaw and a wave of nausea hit him as Marco struggled not to pass out or collapse. Still, he was forced down to one knee, his grip on his sword flimsy enough that the bandit's partner, intact spear still in hand, was able to kick it out of the way without much resistance.

Looking up, Marco could see the still armed bandit readying his spear, tip aimed dead center at his chest. Time seemed to slow down around him, his vision narrowed to the sharp metal point aimed for his heart. Was this really how his story was going to end? Ambushed by bandits just outside of a major city, gutted and left to die? After weeks of worrying whether or not Toffee, the most powerful man in the kingdom with literal armies at his command, might find them and execute Marco, he would die at the hands of nameless brigands who had no idea just who he was traveling with. Rather than pity or fear, all Marco could feel in that moment was crushing guilt. He had made a promise to Star after all, to see her safely brought to the North and delivered from the clutches of a corrupt ruling council. He had failed to fulfill his contract, and there was no greater sin for a merchant than that. But he had also failed his friend, his troublesome traveling companion whom he had known for just a few short weeks but who had instantly and irrevocably changed his life. Their small misadventures together, her beaming face as she soaked in a freedom she had never known and learned more about the kingdom she was destined to rule, the gentle smile she held for him in quiet moments when the pair were just relaxing in each other's company, and the warm pressure on his chest whenever he woke up to find her essentially using him as a mattress. That made him feel far worse. Closing his eyes and letting the shame and self-pity wash over him, he could only think to say one thing. "I'm so sorry Star," waiting for the thrust that would end it.

* * *

Star was hoping she might get lucky and that despite being older, taller and stronger looking than her first adversary that the two bandits facing her might be equally incompetent. She'd known that had been wishful thinking on her part, but at the moment wishful thinking was about all she had apart from a rusty sword. She'd been present for enough sparring matches and tournaments to know when trained fighters were taking things seriously versus relaxing or taking things at a leisurely pace. These two were definitely not taking her seriously, in fact they were clearly toying with her. They were only maneuvering just enough to keep Star from either escaping or getting behind them, but otherwise they hadn't tried to pin her against one of the surrounding trees, or the wagon bed, or even push her back into the path of the waiting archer still hidden in the far tree line. Instead, they seemed content to take slow, easily readable but still powerful swings at Star, laughing as she desperately tried to block each one. It felt like her arms had been replaced with metal weights, and each successive blow added to the pain. Worse than that though was the clear mockery on the bandit's faces. They knew this fight was over, that they could end it at any time. Yet the seemed determined to squeeze some sick enjoyment out of watching her struggle hopelessly against them. Realizing that fact lit duel fires of shame and defiance in Star. She was the daughter of River Johansen, one of the… no, the GREATEST warrior in Mewman history, and she would not be mocked! With a yell she rushed forward, catching the man nearest to her by surprise. He fumbled with his sword in the confusion, unsure of where Star's out of nowhere attack was coming from, leaving his chest wide open. Unfortunately for Star, her momentum was carrying her forward to quickly and she began stumbling, blade now angled downward. The bandit on the receiving end cried out in pain, grasping not his midsection but instead trying to staunch the bleeding in his thigh. Grasping the wound with one hand, he looked up at Star. Gone was the cruel and mocking expression, in its place was one of murderous rage.

"You little fucking bitch," he cursed at her. "Connor, finish this one already."

Star turned to face the other man, she assumed this was Connor, who had dropped his own grin. Face set in cool dispassion, he began a rapid series of stabs and slashes that Star could barely keep up with. She desperately tried to keep her guard up, but that last rush had taken most of the adrenaline out of her and she was starting to tire quickly. She'd just finished fending off a backhand slash that the bandit in front of her turned into an angled thrust. Star wasn't able to block it in time and cried out in pain as the man's sword cut through her tights and left a nasty gash on the outside of her leg. The sudden shock of the pain caused her to drop to one knee, leaving her completely exposed. With a vicious kick, the bandit knocked the sword from her grasp and Star again shouted in pain. She wasn't sure if her wrist was broken but even moving her fingers to check produced miniature explosions of pain.

Spitting into the dirt, Connor stepped forward and squatted down to eye level with Star. "I know he said to finish you, but you gave me an awful lot of trouble, and I think one good thrust would be too quick. Let's get creative, shall we? Maybe watching your friend get his guts pulled out first? What do you think?"

Star spat in the man's face. "If you so much as lay a finger on him I'll… ARGH!" Star's threat was lost as the man viciously backhanded her before grabbing her by her hair and half walked, half dragged her back into the clearing. Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain, making it difficult to see, but she was able to make out a body dressed like the other bandits lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Another bandit sat on the ground nearby, back against the tree as he clumsily tried to dress a cut on his chest. Her heart stopped as her eyes landed on Marco. He had a massive bruise already forming along his jaw, his head hung down in defeat as two bandits with spears stood over him, one ready to thrust into his heart. He looked ready to stab it down into Marco. Terrified, she started trying to wrench herself free, desperate to reach him, to protect him. She received another sharp pull on her scalp as a result, but to her minor relief the bandit dragging her shouted to the spearman, "Not yet. I want this one to watch first." The bandit dragged her over to where the rest of the group had gathered and roughly threw her into the dirt next to Marco.

Looking her over, one of the spearmen chuckled. "Maybe we can have some fun with her before we get rid of her. Cute thing like that ought to have some fun before she goes."

Another one of the bandits scoffed. "Like you woman would say she had fun after being with you."

"Fuck off. You'll see how she'll be screaming for me before the night's over."

Hearing the bandits talk about Star like that set Marco into a rage. He started to rise, "If any of you bastards so much as lays a finger on her I'll…oof!" The other spearman hit Marco in the gut with the butt of his spear, driving the breath from his lungs and sending him back to the ground.

"Fuck off and don't worry about the girl you little shit. Only thing you got left to worry about is how long we're gonna take to skin you for killing poor George over there," he gestured over to the dead bandit still lying in the road.

The swordsman with the cut leg that Star had fought hobbled over to join the rest. "The hell with that. Sun's going down fast and I don't want to drag all this shit back to camp once it's dark. Kill him, take the girl and let's get moving."

"Take all the fucking fun out of everything," the spearman muttered. "Alright fine," he pointed to two of his companions, "Take his arms, make sure he doesn't try and go anywhere." The pair stepped forward and dragged Marco upright. He didn't even try and look up, whatever last gasp of fight that had been in him at the thought of Star being hurt appeared to have been beaten out of him, quite literally. Star wanted to say something, anything, to try and make him put up a fight, to not give up, but words failed her. What was there to say to get them out of this hopeless situation? They were outnumbered and unarmed against a group of men who didn't want to haggle, or negotiate, or gain political favor, they just wanted to kill them, steal the wagon, and set up the same trap for the next pair of unlucky travelers to come down the road.

Still, she couldn't let it end like this. Even if this was the end, she knew Marco well enough to understand he was probably, somehow, blaming himself for what had happened. She had done the same thing more than once on their journey together. He needed to know she didn't blame him, couldn't blame him, for something he had absolutely no control over. He had become a true friend of hers, a light in the dark, a source of warmth, laughter and comfort. How could she possibly convey all of that? "Marco," she said softly. His head rose at the sound of her voice, and seeing his lifeless eyes brought tears to her own. Still, she tried her best to hold back the torrent of emotions threatening to pour out of her and offered the best smile she could. "Marco, thank you for everything," she said with absolute sincerity. It didn't even begin to convey all she could say to him, all she wanted to say to him, but she hoped it was enough. Marco's eyes widened at her declaration, and to Star's relief she saw some of the light come back into his eyes. He even gave her a weak smile of his own. It was hope, a mad, mad hope that some miracle would come and save them. That, Marco thought, it was Star had given him. Hope that things would be okay, that even in the absolute worst situations, things would somehow work out for the both of them. He'd met her when her entire life had been upended and her fate seemed to balance on a knife's edge, and yet within a couple of days being together he'd seen her smiling, laughing, already worming her way into his heart and fundamentally changing his life. Somehow, she even made the prospect of imminent death seem less frightening. She had given him self-absolution in one simple sentence, and for however much longer his life lasted, albeit that was looking to be a rather short stretch of time given the circumstances, he was grateful.

For the second time he watched the spearman ready his weapon to strike him down. But this time, rather than stare at the ground defeated, he kept his eyes locked on Star. If he was leaving this world, he wanted her face to be the last thing he saw.

Time slowed to a crawl… the spearman readied took a deep breath as he pulled his weapon back, the sounds around him seemed muted, he could faintly hear Star calling his name, the rush of air as the spear started to come forward… and then, an answered prayer. He heard a voice scream "STOP!"

* * *

"STOP!" The voice echoed like a thunderclap through the clearing. The spearman immediately paused in his thrust, the tip of his weapon mere inches from Marco's chest. Prepared for death or not, the overwhelming sense of relief washed over Marco like a numbing solution. If two of the bandits hadn't been holding him up, he certainly would have collapsed. Star was in a similar state, not daring to breathe, like what she'd just heard would be taken away if she made even the slightest move.

A rustling in the tree line drew both young travelers' attentions. Two men walked out of the woods. The first was dressed like the rest of the bandits, though all in leather that appeared to be in slightly better condition than the others. The most noticeable thing about him though was the longbow he carried with him, an arrow already knocked on the string and resting comfortably between his fingers. The second man carried a sword, though unlike the rusty and ill-maintained like the others this one gleamed with a fresh polish and appeared razor sharp. Also, unlike the others he wore no armor but instead an emerald green doublet in the same style they had seen Lord Issa wearing. This one had clearly seen better days though. It was poorly patched in some places and the color had faded generally. Both men walked towards the small group of bandits at a leisurely pace, like they were out for an afternoon stroll and hadn't just stopped an execution.

One of the bandits turned to the newcomers. "C'mon chief we were about to finish up here. Can't we just…"

"If I wanted your fucking opinion, I would ask for it you damn halfwit. Until then keep your mouth shut." The man in green snapped at him. The bandit growled at the put down and took a step forward but stopped when the archer pulled back slightly on the bowstring.

The man in green walked around and looked at the scene. Pausing at the fallen bandit he nudged him lightly with his boot before shaking his head. "Idiot ran in alone and underestimated his opponent, fatal mistakes both." He looked around at the rest of the group, seeing the two injured men and the one still unconscious bandit lying alongside the wagon where Star had brained him. "In fact I'd say all of you underestimated these two. If they'd had even one armed guard I'm fairly certain you'd all be dead by now."

He then went over and peered over the rim of the wagon, seeing the crates stacked inside. "And I don't suppose you even bothered to check what it was you'd captured before wasting all this time on your petty revenge? What am I saying, of course you didn't. Bring that boy over here, now!" Rushing to do their leader's bidding, the two bandits who'd been holding Marco hauled him to his feet and dragged him towards their leader who looked him over with an attentive but disinterred eye. Without missing a beat, he grabbed Marco by the scruff of his shirt and pinned him to the wagon with one hand while pulling out a dagger with the other. Marco scarcely had a moment to breathe before he felt the cold steel pressed against his throat just hard enough where he could feel a single drop of blood begin to roll down his neck.

"Now boy," he began, "I'm going to make this very simple. I'm about to ask you a few questions. You lie to me and you die, understood?"

"Y..Yes," Marco answered.

"Good. Now, who are you?"

"Marco Diaz. I'm a traveling merchant."

"Diaz…" the man let the name roll over his tongue. "You're Andelisian?"

"Yes."

He gestured over at Star, "And what about her?"

"That… Her name is Estrella Mariposa. She's my traveling companion."

The man looked at her more closely. "Little pale to also be Andelisian, isn't she?" He pressed the dagger against Marco's neck a little harder for emphasis.

"She's half… I swear it."

The bandit leader looked uncertain. _Please just buy it_, Marco begged to whoever out there might be listening. To his relief, the man nodded. "Very well. Now, what are you carrying?"

"Metal. We were headed to Ironbend."

The man scowled. "_Metal,_" he dragged out the word for effect, "Isn't very specific." He turned to his archer companion. "Open one of the crates." With a wordless nod, the archer hopped onto the back of the wagon and slid open the lid on one of the crates. He pulled out one of the lead ingots Marco had been carrying and tossed it to one of the nearby bandits who squinted at it.

"Looks a bit like silver to me chief!" The man shouted.

The bandit leader turned to Marco. "Well? Is it silver? Is that why you were trying to… hide it from me?" Marco winced in pain as the man dragged the dagger down his neck an inch, opening up a thin cut. Still, Marco had a flash of inspiration. If they thought he was carrying silver instead of lead, they'd all think they were rich. Maybe that greed would be enough to convince them to let them both go. Or at least let Star go. Right now her safety was paramount.

"Yes, yes!" Marco tried to instill some panic in his voice, though it admittedly wasn't difficult to do. "I was hired to bring some of the finest silver to a master craftsman in Ironbend. My livelihood depends on getting it there. Please, sir I'll give you anything if you'd just let us go. I'll have nothing without this cargo, my entire life will be ruined."

The bandit leader laughed at that. "Boy, you don't seem to understand the position that you're in. You're the best catch we've had since that fat lord came through here last year. To think our luck! A merchant hauling all this silver, and all without… a single… armed… guard." He paused. "Perhaps a little too good to be true…"

_Shit, he's not buying it._ "No sir, I swear it's all true! I… I didn't want to spend the money hiring guards. Figured they'd be just as likely to rob me as protect me. And everyone said this road was safe." Marco could see greed and suspicion playing out in the man's eyes. To his, somewhat, relief, greed won out.

"Looks like we've struck it rich lads!" He shouted to the bandits who let out a loud cheer in response. The man took his dagger off of Marco's neck. "Since I consider myself a gentleman, I'll even let you walk away with your life. Go on to Ironbend and tell your patron you lost the cargo. If you're lucky he'll be as merciful as I am."

"And… my traveling companion?" Marco dared to ask.

"Oh, she'll be coming with us. We'll be celebrating tonight after all and then men could use a serving wench. Pretty girl like her, I'm sure she'll be **very** popular."

Marco **could not** let that happen. "No."

The bandit leader rounded on him. "Now boy, I've been rather generous in letting you live. So I'm sure I must have misheard you when you just told me, no."

Marco swallowed. Now was the time to take a risk but keep a level head. "I mean… please, sir. She is my companion. I'll give you anything for my life, her's, and my horse. You can take the silver, you can take all the rest, just please…"

"We're already taking your silver," the bandit leader interrupted him. "You have nothing else to trade for. Unless… there's something you'd like to tell me? Perhaps this girl isn't who you say she is hmmm? Seems like a cliché enough love story, the daughter of a noble running off with a common merchant. If she's worth a ransom I'd be happy to guarantee her safety of course."

Marco didn't like the idea of how close to home the man was getting, or the size of the reward he was sure the bandit would get if he learned who he was holding. "No sir, she truly is just my traveling companion. But I can offer you this." Marco pulled the coin pouch off his belt and shook it. "There's at least 75 Gold Butterflies worth in there, plus some foreign currency. It's all yours in exchange for her and my horse."

The bandit leader shrugged. "Not good enough. Lads! Take her and the cart and let's go!"

"Wait!" Marco shouted.

The man turned to him with a nasty grin. "I knew there was more, c'mon then."

Marco's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Your men took knocked my sword away, it's over there," he gestured to the clearing where the dead man was. He then unhooked the scabbard from his belt. "It's Ironbend steel, there's a mark and everything. Easily worth another 50… another 60 even for the right buyer."

The bandit crew continued milling around, waiting for their leader's reaction. The man seemed to consider Marco's offer for a moment. "And…?" he said finally.

"There's a hidden compartment on the back panel of the wagon. Press the knot of wood in the center." The bandit leader jerked his head at the archer who did so. With a pop, a false door opened to reveal another bag inside.

The archer opened the drawstring on the bag and peered inside before nodding once. "Silver," was all he said as he tossed the bag over to the leader who caught it with ease.

"See?" The man said. "Now that wasn't so difficult, now was it?" He tossed the bag up and down a few times, letting the jingle of coins echo around the clearing. "Very well. Let it never be said I am not only a generous man but a man of my word. You get your horse and the girl. Now leave before I change my mind." He looked over at the two men still holding Star. "Let her go and start moving this cargo. I want to be back at camp before sundown!" Nodding, the two men rushed to do as they'd been told while Marco ran over to help Star to her feet. The bleeding on her leg had thankfully stopped but she was still limping. Throwing one of her arms around his shoulders, the cut on his own arm screaming in protest, he helped her walk over to Bavieca. Petting the horse affectionately on the neck, Marco quickly undid the harness attaching him to the wagon before helping Star mount up.

Marco at least managed to grab his and Star's personal bags from the front of the wagon, the bandits didn't seem interested in them. Swinging up onto his horse behind Star, Marco looked around fearfully. Most of the bandits were ignoring them, some were sneering at them, but none seemed to be moving towards ambushing them. Still, he couldn't help but feel this was a trap and that they'd be ambushed once they started to move. Meanwhile one of the bandits quietly crept up behind Bavieca. Raising his sword high he shouted, "What's a matter fuckers, forget how to ride? How about I help you?!" Bringing the flat of his blade down hard on Bavieca's flank. With a cy of fear, the horse bolted, easily jumping the tree that had been blocking their path and racing through the woods as Star desperately tried to calm him down and get him under control. The last thing Marco heard was the loud and obnoxious laughter coming from the bandits, which echoed in his ears long after they were out of hearing range.

Bavieca flat out sprinted for almost an hour, Star and Marco trying, and mostly failing to steer the horse without the benefit of a saddle or reins. The absence of both pieces of equipment also making it extremely difficult to hang on. Eventually, completely exhausted from the run, the horse finally slowed to a trot, then a walk, then stopped all together. The woods were now an I'll defined smudge on the horizon as the sun dipped slowly towards the horizon on their left. Star and Marco dismounted, both completely exhausted. Neither said a word, but when their eyes met, they rushed into one another's arms and holding on for dear life. Then came the tears. Whether out of relief at having made it through alive, anger and sadness at having everything taken from them, or some combination of those two along with a cascade of other emotions, the tears didn't stop coming. They were alone, but they had each other. They had been robbed of nearly everything but they were both still alive. They'd come close to failing, but their goal still lay before them. In that moment, crying seemed like the right thing to do, the only thing to do. And so as the afternoon ticked by, both teens wept.

* * *

By the time Star and Marco reached the walls of Ironbend, it was nearly nightfall. They had alternated walking and trotting Bavieca. The large horse was used to pulling a wagon much heavier than just Star, Marco, and their bags, but Marco hadn't wanted to risk tiring him out anyway. When they reached the city gates, they were greeted by two bored looking guards.

One of them looked the pair over disinterestedly. "Any goods to declare?" He asked.

Marco, exhausted and wanting nothing more than to collapse, snapped at the man. "Does it fucking look like it? You want the goods I had to declare? Try the bandits in the woods about ten miles back, they'll have everything."

The guard shrugged. "Not my problem. Hire some protection next time. Welcome to Ironbend, now get out of the way." Still scowling, Marco tapped his heels into Bavieca's flank to get the horse moving, but the other guard ran up alongside them and pulled on Marco's sleeve.

Turning to face the latest interruption, Marco's face softened seeing the more sympathetic look in the younger guard's eyes. "Not sure what sort of coin you have on you friend, but you might want to check out the scrap metal inn. Bit of a… less than plesant crowd in the bar downstairs most nights, but it's got clean sheets and the innkeeper's a real stickler for keeping the rowdiness downstairs."

"Which way is it?"

The guard pointed straight ahead. "You'll want to head to anvil plaza, then take a right and it'll be the third inn on your right. It'll have a real twisted looking hunk of iron hanging above the door as a marker. Can't miss it." Nodding in wordless thanks, Marco got them going again, eager to get there.

As they made their way deeper into the city, Star found that she couldn't tell if the buildings were made of stone or wood or… were some of the houses made of metal? It was impossible to tell since almost everything was covered in a layer or soot and ash. It was then that she noticed the smell. Pinching her nose to try and keep the foul odor out she tapped Marco. "Ugh, Marco what the heck is that stench? The whole city smells like rotten eggs!"

Marco half-turned and nodded sympathetically. "Ah, sorry about that Star, I forgot to mention that with everything that's happened today. To melt their metals every smith and craftsman around here burns a massive amount of coal and charcoal. It's why all the buildings are black," he gestured to the homes and shops around them. All that fuel also has a lot of sulfur mixed into it. That's what smells like rotten eggs and it tends to linger in the air. People have told me it gets better at night when all the furnaces go dark, especially if there's a wind blowing. And after awhile you just get used to it. Just try and put up with it a little longer. I can see anvil plaza up ahead, that means we're almost there."

Peering around Marco's shoulder, Star could see clear down the street and sure enough they were coming up on a wide circular plaza in a similar style to many of the other larger towns they'd passed through on their journey. However, unlike the other plazas that had fountains or monuments either to a lord or a past queen, this plaza had a colossal anvil in the center of it. Eyeballing it from a distance, Star had to guess it was easily 15 feet tall and 20 feet long. She couldn't even imagine how heavy it was, or how long it probably took to construct it. Once they were in the plaza, it seemed Marco's impatience got the better of him and he spurred Bavieca along a bit faster. They were soon through the plaza and down the branch road the guard had indicated. Sure enough, down on the left-hand side the telltale light spilling into the street and the sound of general drinking, reveling, and shouting reached their ears. All the confirmation they needed was the large twisted piece of metal hanging above the door.

When they reached the front door, Star could see that the building was large, even for an inn. It had to stretch at least four floors up, or at least that was how many levels of windows she could count, and it appeared far wider than the buildings around it. The fact that the sun hadn't even set yet and the din coming from inside was nearly deafening suggested the place was pretty popular. Maybe an establishment that catered to travelers, or a favorite spot of locals? Perhaps both? Maybe Marco would have an idea? But he had already jumped off Bavieca and handed the reins to a stable boy who was now looking up at her expectantly. Realizing that she was still sitting on the horse, she quickly slid off and the two walked inside.

The first floor appeared to be not one large bar and dining hall but instead a series of miniature bars. Multiple rectangular counters had been built throughout the area, each with a barkeep serving up to the locals. That, combined with the outrageous smells wafting through the air from dozens of dishes quickly set her stomach growling and her mouth to watering. Both reminding her that she hadn't eaten anything since she'd split the last of the sweets from the village with Marco. Any other food that they'd had was likely ruined when she'd used the supply sack to knock out one of the bandits. Up ahead, she could see Marco tapping one of the serving girls making the rounds on the shoulder and speaking to her. Star couldn't make out what it was, the noise in the hall was too loud, but the girl pointed further into the building and she saw Marco nod and hurried off after him. It didn't take the pair long to leave the main dining area and reach a semi-enclosed room further in the back where a man stood behind a counter. He had a large ledger in front of him and an assortment of keys hung on pegs behind him. He was idly picking at a plate of food, seemingly more focused on the piece of paper in front of him. Based on the scowl, Star guessed it wasn't good news.

Reaching the desk, Marco gently rapped his knuckle on the countertop to get the man's attention. Star finally catching up with him and joining at his side. The innkeeper looked up. "And what can I do for you two?"

A room with two beds, a hot meal, and a washing bucket." Marco answered tiredly.

The innkeeper scratched his chin. "Aye, you'll find all three here lad, the scrap metal takes pride in all it offers to our guests."

A bit of the tension left Marco's shoulders. "What's the price for it all then? Hot meal included."

"What's the color of your coin?"

And the tension was back. "Cre… Crescian Copper," he admitted almost shamefully, and with good reason. The innkeeper didn't appear happy with the answer.

"That's not a coin most people accept around here these days. Not very good for business if I were to start taking that."

"I know but…" Marco gestured for the man to come closer and dropped his voice lower. "We were hit by bandits near the edge of the forest to the south of here. They took everything and the coppers are all I have. Please… we're desperate."

Star saw some sympathy in the man's face. "Heard about that group. Nasty bunch. Leader thinks he's some sort of noble bastard. Wears a green doublet trying to dress like them and pretends to be _honorable_. Bah, as if there's any honor in robbing travelers and leaving 'em for dead. Alright lad, I'll let you pay with the coppers. Room with two beds and a hot meal tonight. I'll even throw in breakfast tomorrow morning. Poor girl there looks like she could use it. That'll come out to 15 coppers." Marco removed the pouch from his inner vest pocket and opened the drawstring, counting out the coins and sliding them across the counter in a neat stack where the innkeeper promptly scooped them up. He turned around and grabbed one of the keys off the wall of pegs and passed it over to Marco. Then he reached under the counter and placed four metal tokens on the counter and passed them over to Marco as well. "You'll be on the fourth floor, sixth door on the right. The tokens will get you whatever the house is serving at the time. One meal per token, one drink too."

Afraid they might disappear in some cruel joke or other catastrophe, Marco quickly scooped up the key and tokens. "Thank you for your kindness," he said with as much sincerity as his exhausted mind and body could muster. Star tiredly nodded her own thanks and the two began wearily climbing the flights of stairs to their room. Unlocking the door, Marco had to admit that the guard had been right about the quality of the inn. The 15 coppers he had paid were a near pittance, but the room, while tiny, appeared neat and clean. Each bedframe had a mattress, pillow, and blanket and when Marco pressed down on each mattress he wasn't hit by the smell of moldy straw and nothing started crawling around or darting out of cover. There was also the usual desk, chair, and a candle sitting in a brass holder. They were in the middle of the hallway so there was no window, already making it difficult to see. Taking the flint on the desk next to the candle, Marco quickly lit the wick, giving the room a tiny but welcome source of light.

Setting the candle down on the table, Marco turned and sat on the bed. The moment his body made contact with the mattress; he felt all energy leave his body. He wanted to curse, to cry at the unfairness of the situation and the misfortune that had befallen him and Star. He wanted to fight, to have a sudden flash of inspiration about how they would rectify the situation and get their goal back on track. He wanted to reach out and comfort Star, because he had no idea how she could possibly be feeling right now. They'd met each other a little under a month ago and this was already almost the second time she'd died on their journey. Was she blaming herself for what happened? Was she blaming him? He could hardly fault her if she did. If he hadn't been so meticulous with the wagon that morning, if he hadn't been the reason they'd lingered in town, then maybe they wouldn't be in this situation right now. He wanted answers to his questions and troubles, but he didn't have the energy, didn't have the will to act on any of it. So he just sat there… useless. He didn't look up then when he heard the mattress across from him creak as star's weight came off of it. He didn't look up when he heard her footfalls on the room's wooden floor grow closer as she approached him. He was forced to look up when she grabbed his face in both of her hands, bringing her eyes to meet his.

There were tears freely streaming down her face, the interplay of the candlelight reflecting off them in her piercing blue eyes made it look to Marco like he was staring into the ocean. He remained transfixed by her gaze, though confused, as she leaned in closer and closer. It seemed like it was a little too high for her to be going in for a hug, but maybe…. Every muscle in Marco's body seized up and his brain came to a screeching halt. All thought, all sensation disappeared except for the warm and gentle feeling of Star placing a kiss on his forehead. It lasted for just a second, but to Marco it felt like a lifetime. He felt he could hardly be blamed for seizing up like that. Sure, it was chaste in the extreme, but his friend and traveling companion, not to mention a FREAKING PRINCESS had just kissed him. He didn't know what to say, or if he should say anything at all, which left him in the uncomfortable position of just staring at Star.

She had taken a step back and was blushing profusely, staring at the ground. Swallowing nervously, Star looked up. "I… I know that being a merchant… I know how much your dream meant to you. And I know that losing it, losing the wagon I mean, and your coin pouch, and… oh spirits Marco and your sword!" She looked to be on the verge of crying again. "I just… I don't know why these things keep happening to me and the people around me, the people I care about. I'm sure it's another part of being _Star the disgraceful princess_, but Marco please believe me I'm so sorry. And I just needed to say that and to say thank you for saving my life today even though it cost you so much and even though we don't know what will happen next I just needed to do something to say sorry and I…" she was hyperventilating now.

Jumping up from the bed, Marco threw his arms around her, pulling her close. He was crying as well, but he slowly heard her gasps of breath slow down into quieter crying. "Star… none of this, and I mean absolutely none of this is your fault. You want to blame anyone? Blame those bastards who attacked us. That's who I'm blaming for all this, not you. Never you."

Star pulled back from him slightly, though both remained in the embrace. "But… you had to do it again. I saw that bandit lying there Marco. It was… It was just like those men Toffee sent after me the night we met. This is the second time you ended up killing someone to save me. I can't… you shouldn't have to carry that burden."

Marco grimaced as he remembered both incidents. The sudden reflex kicking in as he swung his blade, the knowledge in that moment that if he didn't kill his opponent he would have been killed in turn, and the heavier knowledge that understanding that didn't make anything better after the fact. Still, that was a darkness he was willing to keep hidden, a piece of himself he was happy to sacrifice to keep Star safe. "It was them or me both time Star. Them or us. I didn't want to do it, but I… I wanted to live more. I wanted you to be safe more. You don't need to worry about me bearing that on my conscience, I'm going to be okay. I promise." Smiling at her, he gently wiped away a tear from her cheek, relieved to see the tiniest ghost of a smile on her own face. Gently, reluctantly, he let go of her. "I don't know about you but I'm exhausted. We should get some rest, we could both use it and we'll have an easier time figuring out what to do next." Marco's tone brokered no argument as he gently guided Star to her bed and sat her down.

Marco turned to his own bed but before he'd taken more than a couple steps, he felt Star take hold of his wrist. Looking back over his shoulder he met her gaze. "I know we joke about how we end up in the same bed anyway because I sleep walk, but tonight can we just start there instead? I just… after everything that's happened today I, I really need a friend."

Marco hesitated in replying. Normally he'd say yes but did it give the wrong impression after receiving a kiss from her? No, that was an excuse. He was just as rattled as she was, probably more so. And, if he was being honest with himself, the prospect of knowing that she was nearby, that she was safe, was immensely welcoming. Nodding wordlessly, and feeling his heart stutter at her smile, he crossed to the other side of the room and took off his vest before blowing out the candle, plunging the room into darkness. Feeling his way back across the room, he quickly found the bed and slid in, the relative softness of the pillow and Star's comforting warmth already coaxing him to sleep. He felt her arms slide around him and he embraced her in turn, the pair laying side by side. No jokes about snoring or awkward thoughts about sharing a bed, just joy at being alive.

Star yawned loudly. "Night Marco."

He burrowed into the bed just a little more. "Goodnight Star."

* * *

Marco felt something pushing on him, dragging him back towards consciousness. "Marco. Maaarrcccoooooo." It couldn't possibly be morning already, could it? He felt like he hadn't been asleep nearly long enough for that much time to have passed. Or maybe with yesterday's exhaustion, no amount of sleep would be enough for him to actually feel rested. "Marcoooooooo." Yeah, that was Star's incessant voice. She wasn't going to let him turn over and go back to bed, was she? Feeling her prodding her finger into his shoulder, he had his answer.

"Ugh. Okay, okay I'm awake." He sat up groggily, yawning while stretching his arms above his head. Blinking the sleep from his eyes he was surprised that in the dim light he could make out that Star was fully dressed and ready to go. "Planning on taking a trip somewhere?" He asked. "What time is it anyway?"

Star shrugged. "No idea, but it can't be that late, you can still hear noise from downstairs." Sure enough, if Marco concentrated, he could hear the general din of drinking and conversation even four floors up. "And, well, I woke up and felt kind of hungry. If there are still people drinking downstairs maybe they're still serving food? I just wanted to check in case you wanted to get something to eat too." Marco's stomach rumbling at the mention of a hot meal answered for him

"Let me just get my vest on and grab those token things." Nodding in agreement, Star waited as Marco quickly gathered what he needed and the two made their way down the staircase to the main hall. Passing a window on the way down, Marco looked out and could see the lesser of the twin moons rising in the sky. They had only been asleep for a few hours then, it likely wasn't even midnight yet. Once they arrived at the first-floor landing and made their way into the bar/dining area, Marco could see Star had been right. Not only was the place still completely packed but he could see serving girls still milling about with plates of steaming hot food. The sight and smell of it nearly had Marco drooling and looking over he could see Star was faring little better.

Seeing one of the girls who didn't appear to be busy Marco walked up and held up two of the tokens the innkeeper had given them and gestured to himself and Star. Getting the message, the girl smiled at the pair and led them through the crowded tables until they reached a fairly out of the way corner. Instead of an open table it was an enclosed booth with wooden walls extending above each table, the seats likewise built into the divider instead of freestanding. Once they were seated, the girl held out her hand and Marco handed over the two tokens, which she quickly pocketed. "You got lucky tonight. House is serving up lamb stew with summer vegetables and bread trenchers. Old Hobb in the kitchens just opened up a fresh cask of special reserve for the house too. Quite the treat, very smooth ale." Both Star and Marco blushed as their stomachs let out simultaneous gurgles. "I'll be back with those quick as I can then, sounds like you could both use it," the serving girl giggled before walking away.

Waiting for the food, Marco let his mind wander, feeling a little more at ease by letting his mind go blank. Star, noticing the expression on his face, piped up. "Crecsian copper for your thoughts?"

Marco snorted, "Why not, after what we just laid out for the room and food, I could definitely use another one." He mentally kicked himself once he registered what he'd just said. Sure, he'd told Star they'd talk more about their predicament once they'd had a chance to rest up a bit, but he hadn't meant for it to be right that second!

"Marco… should we talk about what's going to happen when...?" She began.

"What's going to happen when the food gets here?" Marco interrupted her. "Yeah, I'm sure we're going to just eat it up. I don't know about you but I really love lamb stew this time of year and the way she described it, I feel like it'll be gone in five minutes. Ha ha, he… hehe."

Star gave him a _really_ look, cocking one eyebrow, but Marco was saved by the timely return of the server who was expertly juggling the two steaming hot bowls, two tankards of ale, and a sizeable loaf of bread that was still warm if the steam coming out the top of it was anything to go by. She quickly set everything out on the table for them, "There you go. Now if you need anything else you just wave me on over. Just keep in mind this is it for the tokens unless you're looking for some water. Refills are gonna be another token or you'll have to pay with coin, okay?" Star and Marco nodded. "Alright then, enjoy!"

Once she was out of earshot, Star tried to restart the conversation, but Marco was busy attacking his stew. "Oh man, mhmmm Star you have got to try this! I don't know what kind of spice they used but it is amazing!" Star muttered in annoyance. She knew Marco was stalling, and knew they needed to talk. But, the steaming pile of food in front of her was rather appealing, and her stomach seemed ready to leap out of her body to eat it. She could wait until after dinner. Mind made up, the two quickly polished off their meals in silence.

Several blissful minutes later, both travelers felt satiated and were nursing rather excellent mugs of ale. With a soft belch, Marco patted his stomach. "Man, did that hit the spot. She was not kidding about the lamb, huh Star?"

Star set her mug down on the table. "Marco, we need to talk."

Marco looked apprehensive, clenching his mug tightly in his hand. "Is there any way this can wait until morning?"

"No. Marco, we lost everything in that bandit attack, everything! And I'm not sure how many coppers were in that bag Micha gave us but I'm guessing we have another, what? Three days at the most before that's gone?"

"More like two," Marco muttered as he took a drink of his ale.

"So if we're in this shitty of a situation, don't you think it's a good idea to plan now?! I mean, we don't have a lot of time to figure things out!" Star exclaimed. She really didn't understand why Marco could be so dodgy about this.

"Oh, that's nothing to worry about, I figured things out already. It's just… you're not going to like it. But I do need you to trust me on this."

A sense of relief filled Star. She knew there had to be a reason why Marco was acting so strangely. "That's great Marco! And of course, I trust you." She reached across the table and laid one of her hands on top of his, giving it a quick squeeze. "You're my best friend after all. We're in this together." She thought her words would comfort Marco, so she grew concerned when they seemed to make him even more anxious. Nervously, she withdrew her hand. "We… are in this together, right?"

Marco sighed in resignation. "Estrella… you should go the rest of the way on your own." Star recoiled as if Marco had reached across the table and slapped her, quickly covering her mouth with one hand to conceal the choked sob that threatened to leap out of her throat. Seeing her distress, Marco tried to explain. "It's like you said, these coppers won't last much longer. But if you take them you can catch a caravan going north. It probably won't get you all the way to the Musty Mountains but it should get you close. From there… well, I don't really know what'll happen after that but you'll be fine, I'm sure of it."

Star's shock faded to anger. "That's your brilliant fucking plan?! And what exactly will you do with no money after shipping me off?" She snarled at him.

Taken aback, Marco nervously rubbed his arm, wincing slightly where the cut on his arm was still healing under bandages. "The bandits didn't take everything I owned. There are a couple letters of credit in my pack, places I stashed a bit of money over the years. I'll have to barter my way onto a caravan going south, offer to work for them or something until I can collect those stashes. Then… well then I guess I'll have to start rebuilding my trade from the ground up. I'm sure Ferguson back in Tresting would be able to help a little. And besides…"

"So that's it then?" Star cut him off. "You're just going to abandon me?" She spat bitterly.

"It's not like I want to stop traveling with you!" Marco tried to defend himself. "But no caravan going north is going to take the two of us plus Bavieca for what money we have."

"Then we find another way!" She shouted at him. "We've always found another way. Every time there's been trouble we found a way to make it work. Even when it seemed hopeless, even when we didn't have much. You can't just give up now because things look difficult!"

"I'm not giving up Estrella, I'm facing reality! You might want to try it sometime! Not every freaking problem can be solved just by being optimistic."

Star stood up and slammed her hands on the table. "And what about the promise you made me, huh?! When we met you promised you'd take me to the Musty Mountains. What happened to _a merchant's honor_ and _honoring contracts_ that you kept going on about? Or was that just a bunch of bullshit too?"

Marco felt his own hackles rising and also stood up, leaning across the table and getting in Star's face. "I am keeping my promise!" He roared back. "I'm keeping it with quite literally everything I have left."

"Bullshit!" Star shouted.

"Fuck you!"

Star picked up what was left of her ale and chucked it at Marco's face, getting a small measure of satisfaction seeing him sputter as the alcohol hit him dead center. Marco was all but ready to leap across the table but a quiet yet firm "ehem" drew both of their attentions. The same serving girl who had brought them dinner and drinks was standing there disapprovingly, hands on her hips. "I'm sure whatever you two are arguing about is **very** important," she commented sarcastically, "but as you can see, you're making a scene. So I suggest either cooling it down or calling it a night, hmmm?" She gestured around and both Star and Marco could see that most of the guests for a few tables in every direction had stopped their own conversation to listen in on their argument. Chastised, both teens sat down. Satisfied, the waitress nodded and went back to her business.

Star and Marco stared bitterly at one another. "We'll have breakfast here tomorrow morning, then head to anvil plaza and get you on a caravan. It's our only option… the only chance we've got."

Star was ready to restart the argument, but the sound of scraping wood drew both their attentions. Looking up, they saw a woman dragging a chair over to their booth, tankard in the other hand. Plopping herself down she took a healthy swig before smacking her lips in appreciation. "Gotta tell ya, I come around here most nights and you two win the contest for loudest and most boring argument I've ever heard in this joint."

Star scowled at the woman. She was dressed in a fiery red and orange dress that flowed across her body like flames licking at wood. The bottom flared out into a wide, conical shape while the top was almost impossibly narrow and hugged her bust tightly, leaving little to the imagination. Her hair was a similarly deep red and looked almost as long as Star's own when it was out of her braid, flaying outward from a black band near the back of her neck. To top it all off, she was pale, almost deathly so. But there was no denying she was gorgeous in an exotic, mysterious way. Star noticed several male, and a few female, patrons keeping their gaze on her even after she had finished strutting over like she owned the bar.

"Look lady, I'm not sure who you are but I can tell you right now, I don't care. We're in the middle of a conversation here, so why don't you just…"

"Yeah, yeah blah blah blah," the woman mocked, making a talking motion with her hand. "I know all about your little argument, hell, you two idiots were screaming so loud half the fucking bar knows about it. And, since I was one of the unfortunate patrons of this dingy little corner of paradise that couldn't help but overhear your conversation, I figured you could use some help."

"Wait… you can help us? How?" Marco asked skeptically.

The woman reached out with one hand and cupped Marco's face, bringing it closer to hers. "By making all of your dreams come true… cutie." She said with a sensual purr, eyes hooded with lust. Marco, naturally, turned beet red as the woman released him and slapped her thigh, howling with laughter. "Oh man… innocent ones like you are always the most fun to tease!"

Now Marco was pissed off too. "Look, if you're not going to take this seriously…"

"Oh fine, fine, straight to business. Killjoy. But, that's exactly why I need someone like you. See, I need a responsible, no nonsense merchant like you to do a job for me. My usual go-to backed out at the last second, and now I have a massive cargo order sitting around that I can't move, which is bad for business."

"Alright…" Marco said hesitantly, "But why us? Why not any other merchant in the city? It's not like there aren't plenty of people out there looking to earn some coin."

"Yeah, but this client is pretty high end and likes to keep things… discreet. Especially with cargo like this. See, that's why you're perfect." The woman stopped to take a long drink of her mug. "I need someone who knows their way around being a merchant, but who's also desperate enough to keep their mouth shut. You two fit both categories." Seeing the serving girl she waved a hand high. "Hey! Three more over here!" She turned and saw the apprehensive look on both young teen's faces. "Don't worry, round's on me."

"Riggghhhhttttt," Star said sarcastically. "And, what exactly is this cargo your client wants to keep so… discreet?"

The woman shrugged. "Nothing big, just a couple hundred swords." The serving girl returned with three frothing mugs of ale, placing them on the table. "Thanks Kristen, just put them on my tab for the night."

The woman actually bowed slightly. "Of course mistress. As always, we are thankful for your patronage."

All sorts of alarm bells were going off in Star's head now. "Who… are you?"

"No one special."

"So what is it about these swords that needs all the secrecy? Are they forgeries or something?" Marco chimed in before taking a deep drink. Good forgeries were worth a lot on the black market. A few hundred would be incredibly valuable.

The woman scoffed. "Not a chance kid. These are the genuine article. Only the finest Hekapoo forged steel for my customers."

Marco spat out the ale in his mouth, hacking as some of it made it into his lungs anyway. "HEKAPOO?! As in, the master blacksmith Hekapoo? The finest sword maker on the continent? The head of the masters guild here?"

The woman laughed. "You sure do know how to turn on the flattery. Then again I guess that's part of your trade."

"And how exactly did someone like you get your hands on all those swords? Stealing? If you get Marco and I mixed up in some stupid smuggling operation then so help me universe…" Star left the threat hanging in the air.

Chuckling, the woman put her arms behind her head and leaned back. "I like you little girl, you've got some real fight in you. I bet it gives him a whole lot of trouble," she waved absently at Marco. "But no, I didn't steal them. I think it should have been obvious by now, even to a couple of outsiders like you."

It took Marco a moment to figure out what she meant. Real steel from a true master blacksmith, the deference the serving girl had shown her. "You… you can't be. You're the Lady Heckapoo?" Marco asked in disbelief.

"I knew you were the smart one," she mocked, "took you long enough though. And just Heckapoo. I don't do any of that 'Lady' crap."

Star rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. And what would a master smith be doing in a cheap place like this?"

Smiling, Hekapoo threw a glance over one shoulder, looking out at the haze filled ground floor and let the carousing of hundreds of conversations and the smell of food and cheap booze wash over her. "I like the atmosphere. The people that drop by here know how to have a good time." She licked her lips, "Especially some of the boys. Speaking of which, what're you doing with the rest of your night cutie? Bet I could show you a **real** good time." She leaned forward towards Marco, giving him a clear view of her cleavage down the front of her dress.

Marco gulped audibly; he didn't need to look over to know Star was staring at him intently. "As... ahem, generous an offer as that might be, I'll have to decline." Glancing over, he could see Star's judgmental gaze on him. He was trying his best not to insult the woman who might have just saved his ass for fuck's sake! What did she want from him?

Hekapoo clicked her tongue in disappointment. "Such a shame. Oh well, just business then. So, we have a deal or not?"

"How much would you be paying us for this? And you still haven't told us who the client is," Marco pointed out.

"The going rate for my usual guy is one gold butterfly per sword. But since this is a rush, I'd be willing to go up to one and a half. So for 300 swords that's 450 gold butterflies. A third of the money in advance, the other two-thirds when you get back."

Marco's brain nearly melted. Did she really just offer him 450 gold butterflies? That was more money than Marco had ever owned, more money than Marco had ever seen! Forget his dream of opening a shop, with that kind of money Marco could take Star the rest of the way north in luxury and have enough left over to buy a small shipping company! Just a few hours ago he had been fighting for his life, and even though he'd survived, he had been left with almost nothing. Now that this offer had come… it was nothing short of a miracle. Perhaps this was the universe repaying him and Star for helping out Micha's village.

Marco was so lost in his thoughts that he barely registered Hekapoo's voice, but a glance over at Star and her gaping jaw told him he'd missed something important. Rubbing his head in embarrassment he turned back to the redheaded smith. "Ah… sorry about that Hekapoo. Could you say that again?"

Hekapoo huffed, annoyed. "Try and pay attention here kid, it's your ass on the line and my reputation. As I was saying, you'll be picking up the swords tomorrow at my shop. I'll have a wagon loaded with the cargo and some supplies waiting for you. From there you'll take the road east until you reach Helvete. You're due to deliver the swords to castle Lucitor a week from tomorrow so you should make it just in time."

Marco turned pale. "The… the client is the Lucitor family? As in Lord David Lucitor of the Privy Council?" There was no way he'd heard her right. There was no way this wasn't all some cruel, sick joke the universe was playing on the two of them.

To his horror, Hekapoo nodded. "That's the one. He might be a bastard but he paid well above normal price for a rush order on these. I've been working on them for weeks nonstop and even then I barely got it done in time. Not to brag, but each one is still a masterpiece. So, we're all set then?"

Marco was about to say yes, but hesitated. They couldn't afford to say no, they would never have another opportunity like this again. Even losing two weeks of travel north to go from Ironbend to Helvete and back was worth it. The amount of money there were being offered solved all their problems and then some! Still… this was going beyond dangerous. It wasn't just that Star hated Lord Tom, though that certainly didn't help. Tom, Lord David, and any of their servants or retainers that had ever followed them to court would be some of the few people in the kingdom who would recognize Star on sight, even dressed in common clothes and with her cheek marks hidden. If even one of them spotted her, they were done for. But if they didn't take the job, they were also done for. That fact sealed the decision in Marco's mind. They would be extra careful, there were precautions they could take to make sure Star wasn't discovered. "We accept…"

"No." Star cut in.

"What?!" Heckapoo exclaimed!

"We're not taking the contract."

"Estrella," Marco began. "We really need this. It's our only chance." He didn't care if he threw away any negotiating leverage with the smithing mistress, he had to convince Star.

"I said no and that's the end of it Marco," Star snapped.

The two companions stared each other down over the table, neither giving an inch. Sighing, Hekapoo stood up from her chair. "You two clearly need to discuss this. I'll give you till midmorning tomorrow. If you decide to accept, meet me at my shop then." Reaching into a coin purse on her hip, Heckapoo put a stack of coins on the table. Marco's eyes widened when he saw the stylized butterfly on top of the stack. Shoving the pile in between them she said, "Consider this a down payment on the first third. And a reminder of what you'll get out of this."

As Hekapoo walked away, the small stack of gold on the table offered a bridge to solving all their problems. But, if it was supposed to be a bridge, then why did it feel like an endless chasm had just opened up between him and Star? Rising wordlessly, Star walked away from the table and began making her way back towards the stairs leading to the rooms. Carefully scooping the gold into his pouch, Marco did his best to follow, navigating through the sea of drunken bodies. Climbing the stairs after her, Marco reached the room, just in time to have the door slammed in his face. _Yeah, this is going to be a pleasant conversation for sure_. Steeling himself, Marco gently opened the door. Closing it behind him, he saw Star sitting on the side of her bed, staring listlessly at the lit candle on the side table. Marco sat down next to her, the mattress shifting slightly to accommodate his weight.

He took a deep, calming breath. "Okay Star, let's talk."

* * *

**A/N:** **And that officially puts a cap on chapter 9! This is officially the longest chapter in My Life, My Kingdom, My War by almost 5,000 words and I hoped you all enjoyed every bit of it. Consider it my way of saying thanks for sticking with this story for the last few months while I was MIA. Things out in the world just started piling up for me and I needed some time to get them under control. But while I was gone, I saw this story hit, and then surpass, 30 members each on favorites and follows which just blows my mind. Thank you, all of you, words cannot express my gratitude that you enjoy my writing enough to keep tabs on it and that you're sticking with this fandom. As a good friend of mine is fond of saying, it's on fans to keep SVTFOE alive now.**

**So before I get into review responses, a couple of quick shoutouts in order. First, a MAJOR thank you to Lord Cornwalis for helping me with the action scene in the bandit attack. From one Lord to another, you have my immense gratitude and undying respect. Second, a shoutout to RJ WritingInk for starting his first story since I've been gone. You can find that over on his page or under the title Comet vs the Forces of Evil. Welcome to the author's club RJ, we have t-shirts! Lastly, a nice big shoutout to Viceversa96 who has just done some incredible artwork for SVTFOE lately. If you haven't checked it out, start with his excellent comic, "Lingering Baggage." All three of you have been incredibly supportive of me in the course of writing this story and I want to repay that kindness and spread the word about some good additions to the fandom.**

**Okay… now reader reviews**

**Starco4everr: Thank you as always for the kind words and I hope you also liked this chapter**

**Viceversa96: I appreciate you encouraging me on the timeline, it's good to be back. And I'm glad you liked the last chapter and the new character. I hope this chapter with some more familiar faces also makes you happy.**

**Mr. Spinner: I'm really glad to hear how much you liked the last chapter and how Star solved the problem! I had originally thought of a different ending to that one but decided some sneaky Star was in order. And yes, full credit for helping generate the chapter's main conflict. I hope this chapter leaves you equally entertained!**

**Blackspiderman: I'm awed that you like how I write Starco considering how much you like writing Starco. And happy to offer support for your works, really been loving some of the new content! Hope this chapter was to your liking!**

**Rothem: Thank you for the kind words and hope you liked this one too!**

**LordCornwalis: I am stunned by this review and thank you for it profusely. I've tried very hard to craft an AU world that is magical even without magic and I'm glad to see that paying off with each comment like that one and each view and each follow that tells me there is indeed an appetite for this sort of story. I hope this chapter keeps you engaged, even after you've seen a big piece of it haha.**

**TheSoberPug: Thank you so much! Here is the next one and I hope you liked it as well!**

**Alright, and that will do it for me folks. I'm already plotting out the specifics of chapter 10 and hope to have it done by Christmas if not earlier. And in the spirit of early gift giving, because let's be honest, we all need some good cheer this year, I'm going to drop the title of the chapter right now… Chapter 10: Blood Moon Ball.**

…**Enjoy.**


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